Roslin Chapel "corn cobs" and "aloe" images

[Adam McLean <alchemy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland for example was built
>in the 1440's and contains clear, carved representations of corn cobs and
>aloe.


Jordan,

I suspect you haave been misinformed here by the "Roslin Chapel" 
industry, popularised in the last few years by the "Holy Blood
Holy Grail" crusaders, and a rash of extremely speculative
books.

Roslin is beautiful late medieval chapel with marvellous
stone carvings.  I have visited it countless times, and my
partner Franzeska has made an especial study of it.
It is not a mystery. It is entirely within the tradition of 
medieval Church building, particularly that
of Northern France. There is nothing here that is out of 
place in other such carved cathedral and monastic architecture. 

The "corn cobs" and  "aloe" images will merely be someones
misunderstanding of the iconography, perhaps even
a mischievous misunderstanding by someone keen
to make the chapel seem mysterious. Those of us
who live close to such monuments can visit them with
an open mind. Those who come seeking mysteries
will project what they want on the monument.
The same happens with the Voynich manuscript.

Check your sources for the "corn cobs" and  "aloe" 
images. You may find the writer has a vested interest
in finding Roslin Chapel more mysterious than it
actually is. It is a beautiful example of medieval
mason's art. That is sufficient. If one can fully
appreciate the beauty of the carvings you will
find that enough, without needing to add a layer
of speculative detritus. 

Remember anyway, that in twenty years such
speculative nonsense will be seen as what it is.
No one believes in Velikovsky, Labsong Rampa or 
Von Danniken any more. It seems to take the 
general readership about twenty years of exposure 
to these speculative ideas to find them lacking. It
would take a specialist in medieval iconography a 
few minutes to identify the images, and show you 
where else they appear. All these images are used over
and over again in various monuments. Buildings quote 
from one another.

Adam McLean
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