Cintamani and The Green Man

The Green Man of Cercles
1 1
THREE HARES AND CINTAMANI: TWO WELL-TRAVELLED MOTIFS:
PART TWO: ANOTHER THREE IN ONE SYMBOL, CINTAMANI

CONTENTS: Page
INTRODUCTION 2
CINTAMANI IN ANTIQUITY 9
A LOMBARD ARTIFACT, KING AGILULF'S HELMET, 590-616 and other
circular shields decorated with the triple-dot motif 79
CINTAMANI ON SASSANIAN SILVER 83
THE IMPORTANCE OF TEXTILES 105
SIR MARC AUREL STEIN AND THE SILK ROUTES 108
CINTAMANI ON TEXTILES OF THE OTTOMAN PERIOD 111
CINTAMANI OF THE OTTOMAN STYLE ON CARPETS 117
CINTAMANI OF THE EASTERN STYLE ON OTHER ARTEFACTS 124
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS MANUSCRIPTS 126
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS WOOD 161
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS FRESCO 169
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS IVORY 199
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS ENAMEL 201
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS OTHER METALS 205
CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS STONE SCULPTURE 210
WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON INDIAN MINIATURES 227
WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON MODERN RUSSIAN BOXES 231
WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON MODERN NETSUKE 232
ART IN THE MELTING-POT OF EAST-WEST ENCOUNTERS 234
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS THUS FAR: CINTAMANI ON UNCONNECTED
ARTEFACTS THE MOTIF MAY APPEAR SPONTANEOUSLY 235
NOTE 241
BIBLIOGRAPHY 247


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INTRODUCTION

In part one of this article:

http://www.green-man-of-cercles.org/articles/three_hares_east_and_west.pdf

I wrote about the motif of three hares that chase each other round in a circle, a visual puzzle
in which each appears to have a pair of eyes and ears, but in fact there are only three of each.
In part two, I will describe another decorative symbol of three in one: cintamani, intamani
or chintamani, the triple-dot motif in which the dots are organized in a triangular
configuration.

The story of the cintamani seems to me to march in step with that of the Three Hares in
that, in each case, we have what may be an Eastern motif that travelled West from the sixth
century with the development of the silk industry or it may have been already established in
the West from Antiquity, moving East with the merchants and missionaries from the second
century. In both parts of this article, it is possible that the motif found favour (or came back
into favour) in the West from Romanesque times because it was capable of being interpreted
as a symbol of the Trinity. The evolution and development of the cintamani motif seems to
me to mirror that of the Three Hares on a vast scale. Until recently, the cintamani
(however it is spelt) has been seen as a purely Eastern, Buddhist symbol. The word is
Sanskrit and means Precious jewel.

It will be seen that there is a difference between the Buddhist cintamani of the East and those
on artifacts in the West. The former are larger and resemble beads or mistletoe berries,
sometimes with a further decoration like the pupils of squinting eyes. Interspersed between
the groups of triangulated beads there are sometimes Chinese clouds, pairs of lips or
waves, said to represent tiger stripes. These will be shown on later examples of the design
during the Ottoman period, from the 15th century.

Western cintamani are simply three triangulated dots, usually but not always in a pyramid
formation. They are seen on their own or, less frequently, interspersed with another design
such as five dots or stars. They are usually much smaller than Eastern cintamani.

It is the purpose of my article still at the Notes & Queries stage to:

a) Collect examples of the triple-dot motif in the West from its earliest appearance, in all
media
b) To try to formulate a hypothesis of its geographical progression


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c) To try to determine whether most cintamani whether of Eastern or Western type
are linked in some way, or whether this simple design sprang up spontaneously in
different places and times, with little connection between the groups.

Within this broad base I will consider certain questions as they arise, such as:

Why was it more favoured as a motif at some and not other times? The South Italian pottery
of the 4th century BC, Roman silverware of the 4th century AD and the late 12thc Limousin
enamels are cases in point.

The use of cintamani in MS was very inconsistent. Is it possible to identify a reason for their
appearance in certain MS ?

Professor J aroslav Folda drew my attention to this subject, beginning with reference to pages
from the Book of Kells:

Figs 1 & 1a: Cintamani on the Virgin's cloak from the Book of Kells, 8thc, Dublin


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Figs 2 & 3: Cintamani on Christ's skirt and cushion from the Book of Kells, 8thc,
Dublin

More examples can be seen in the 9
th
century book of Mac Durnan now in the library at
Lambeth Palace:


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Fig 4: Cintamani on St Luke's cloak Fig 5: Cintamani on a page from
from the Book of Macdurnan, the Book of Macdurnan,
9thc, Lambeth Palace 9thc, Lambeth Palace

Folda wrote in 2007 (in an essay entitled An Icon of the Crucifixion and the Nativity at
Sinai: investigating the Pictorial Language of its Ornamental Vocabulary: Chrysography,
Pearl-dot Haloes, and intemani) in In Laudem Hierosolymitani, pp 170- 171:

One early example of intemani is found on frescoes in the Buddhist shrine at Miran in
Turkestan from the third century AD.


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Fig 6 & 6a: Cintamani on a fresco at Miran, Turkmenistan, 3rd c.

What Folda fails to mention, is the Greco-Roman influence you can see in his first example,
from 3rd century Turkmenistan. Comparison with my photo of part of a frieze from
Gandhara of earlier date demonstrates this influence unequivocally.

Fig 6b: Frieze with Greco-Roman wreath and musicians, 1
st
-3rdc, Gandhara, Muse
Guimet, Paris

Shekhar Athavale writes from India, Miran is not in Turkestan, which would be present day
Turkey. The present day Xinjiang province of China was known as Turkmenistan, and Miran
and other places Stein investigated are from this province. It is his belief that the triple-dot


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motif must have come over from the West, presumably with Alexander the Great. Shekhar
Athavale has written a blogpost on this wavy garland design:
http://chandrashekharasandprints.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/garland-bearers-of-the-buddha

Folda continues, With reference to its means of transmission, we know that sericulture the
production of silk was introduced into the Byzantine world from China in the sixth century
and presumably the intemani design came from the Turkestani or Indian region along the
silk routes and sometime later. Because there is no word yet signifying it in medieval art and
no modern English equivalent for the Turkish word, I propose to refer to the medieval design
also as intemani, with the understanding that the Sanskrit word is much older than the
medieval period and our usage pertains to the design only, and carries none of the Hindu or
Buddhist religious content. . .

What we can see, however, is the existence of intemani on early silk from central Asia that
made its way westward. One such example from the (circa) seventh/eighth century, is the
Shroud of St Colombe and St Loup, now in the cathedral treasury of Sens.

Fig 7: Suaire de St Loup, Muse de Sens 7th-8thc.


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Cintemani appears on the shoulders and haunches of the blue quadrupeds above and below
the paired lions. A second early example is found on the silk of St Josse, now in the Louvre,
where the design appears on the paired elephants.

Fig 8: Suaire de St Josse, Muse du Louvre, 10
th
c.

Fig 9: Suaire de St Josse, Muse du Louvre, 10
th
c., detail of cintamani


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These examples seem to indicate that, in the early period, the design appeared on eastern
silks that came to western Europe as gifts, rather than being the products of a
Mediterranean-based silk industry. . .

We find that during the eleventh century and later on. . . versions of the intemani design
begin to appear with greater frequency in the West. (End of quotation).

CINTAMANI IN ANTIQUITY

The triple dot motif in the West already appears in Etruria around 600 BC in the painted
necropolis of Tarquinia. Bertram Frauenknecht writes of these on the web site:
http://rjohnhowe.wordpress.com/2007

the Cintamani is considered a fertility symbol, to be found under Ottoman rule. The
version without the lips is much older. It is called cat paw design nowadays. I found the
oldest version on the dress of a female Etruscan dancer, 600 BC, in an Etruscan tomb north
of Rome, Italy. It is said that the Etruscans came to Italy from Anatolia.

Following Bertram Frauenknechts citation of cintamani on the dress of an Etruscan dancer,
of circa 600 BC, I found photographs of the murals and of these illustrations from a book
published in the 19thc:

Fig 10: Cintamani on the clothing of Etruscan musicians of 600 BC, sketches by Carlo
Ruspi of motifs in the Tomb of the Triclinium, 1831.


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Figs 11 & 12: Cintamani on the clothing of Etruscan musicians of 600 BC, sketches by
Carlo Ruspi of motifs in the Tomb of the Triclinium, 1831.


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These can be seen here: http://w3.uniroma1.it/cma4ch/08/logo.html . The frescos are now in
the National Museum of Tarquinia.

There are cintamani on the clothing of one of the banqueters in the Tomb of the Leopards,
too:

Fig 13: Cintamani on the clothing of Etruscan banqueters in the Tomb of the
Leopards, Tarquinia, 600 BC


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Fig 14: Cintamani on the clothing of Etruscan banqueters in the Tomb of the
Leopards, detail, Tarquinia, 600 BC

Cintamani can also be seen on the skirt of an Etruscan bronze statuette in the Louvre:

Figs 15 and 16: Cintamani on the clothing of an Etruscan statuette, 6thc BC, Paris,
Muse du Louvre


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and on an Etruscan mirror from Vulci, in the Cabinet des Medailles, Paris.

Fig 17: Cintamani on an Etruscan mirror in the Cabinet des Medailles, Paris

The triple dots are not easy to see here, but are illustrated in a sketch by Massimo Pallottino
of which I show the top left quarter:


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Fig 18: Cintamani on an Etruscan mirror, sketch by Massimo Pallottino

My thanks to Mel Copeland, from whose site, Maravot, I borrowed this image.

While initially dubious about the relevance of cintamani on the Etruscan frescos at Tarquinia,
their appearance on many more artifacts begins to be impressive.

More recently, I became aware of gold jewellery from tombs in Vulci of the 6th-4th
centuries, now in the Louvre and Vatican Museums:


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Fig 19: Cintamani on an Etruscan gold Bulla, 4thc BC, Vatican Museum:

This amulet comes from a tomb at Vulci, and represents the goddess Turan with her husband
and son. There is also a pair of gold ear-rings:

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Schede/MGEs/MGEs_Sala07_03_028.html

similar to a single ear-ring in the Louvre:


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Fig 20: Etruscan gold ear-ring, Vulci, 4thc BC, Muse du Louvre

composed of triple balls, large and small, finishing with triple granulations. These are not,
perhaps, comparable with those on the bulla. A 7thc BC Etruscan brooch in the Louvre:


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Fig 21: 7thc BC Etruscan brooch, Mistress of the Animals, Louvre

Fig 22: 7thc BC Etruscan brooch, detail, Louvre

is topped with bosses decorated with granulated crosses in each quarter of which is a triple-
dot motif in granulation, reminiscent of a detail from the Missorium of Theodosius of 388
AD:


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Fig 23: Detail of the Byzantine Missorium of Theodosius, I, 4thc, Real Academia di
Historia, Madrid

and the Emperors orbs on Byzantine weights of the same period:


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Fig 24: Byzantine lead weight, 4thc-5thc, British Museum

Pure co-incidence, of course. However, similar motifs can be seen on S. Italian pottery of
the 4
th
century BC.

In 1949 three Bulgarians made a thrilling find of 9 gold vessels, all beautifully worked with
mythological scenes and dated to the 4th-3rd c BC. This period followed the death of
Alexander the Great in 323 BC. He had subjugated the Thracians and added their land to his
Empire. The Thracian heritage had previously been aligned with the Mycaeneans to the SW.
They fought with the Trojans in the Trojan War.

The treasure, known as Panagyurishte, is Hellenic in style. About half of the vessels have
figures whose clothes are decorated with cintamani:


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Fig 25 & 25a: Cintamani on an amphora, Panagyurishte Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Fig 25b: Cintamani on an amphora, Panagyurishte Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Fig 25c: Cintamani on an amphora, Panagyurishte Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Fig 26: Cintamani on a rhyton, Panagyurishte Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Figs 26a & 26b: Cintamani on a jug, Panagyurishte Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC

In 1974 another hoard of Thracian silver decorated with gold was found. This is known as
the Borovo Treasure. Cintamani can be seen on the dresses of the Maenads above the
Dionysiac feast and on the dress of Ariadne (or possibly, Semele):


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Figs 27 & 27a: detail of cintamani on a vase, Borovo Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC

Fig 27b: detail of cintamani on a vase, Borovo Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Fig 27c: cintamani on a vase, Borovo Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC

Fig 27d: cintamani on a vase, Borovo Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC


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Fig 27e: cintamani on a vase, Borovo Treasure, 4th-3rdc BC

It is believed that these artifacts were made locally, and not imported from Greece or
elsewhere. Cintamani on Hellenic pottery from Southern Italy are seen, particularly in
connection with the Thracian goddess, Bendis, (equivalent to Artemis) at a similar date; see
Figs 39-41. However, we have already observed the motif almost two centuries earlier,
among the Etruscans (Figs 10-16).

The importance of Hellenic art as an influence on Etruscan art is not in doubt, but so far I
have found almost no sets of triple dots on artifacts from mainland Greece. However, in
Moscow, I saw this design by Bakst which may be based on a Hellenic original:


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Fig 28: Cintamani on a sketch by Bakst, 1914

While this cheerful Swiss poster of 1905 shows more cintamani on the skirts of two
Bacchantes:


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Fig 29: Cintamani on a poster, 1905

Perhaps there was at least one Greek vase in a museum somewhere, on which they are based.
In the Greek colonies of Southern Italy, however, cintamani abound on vases of around 500-
350 BC.


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Fig 30: Cintamani on a dress, Campanian vase, c. 400 BC

Cintamani are sprinkled over the dancers dress, like the illustration of the Etruscan dancer in
Ruspis sketch, and on this one from Apulia:


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Fig 31: Vase by the Eumenides Painter, Apulia, 380-370 BC, Louvre

They are also on the dress of Medea on this Campanian vase, c. 400 BC, from the Cleveland
Museum of Art:


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Fig 32: Medea Vase c. 400 BC, Cleveland Museum of Art

as well as on the loincloth of another figure on the same vase:


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Fig 33: cintamani on a loin cloth, Medea Vase c. 400 BC, Cleveland Museum of Art

Fig 34 Apollo and Dionysus at Delphi; early 4thc BC, Hermitage Museum


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Fig 35: Sketch by Eduard Gerhard.

Here is the detail of an arm, dotted with cintamani:

Fig 36: detail of the arm, dotted with cintamani


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Cintamani are on the cloak of Hermes on a vase by the Python painter:

Fig 37: Hermes and a goat, 360-350BC, Campania, The Louvre:

And on this figure in Lycian dress:

Fig 38: vase by the Policoro painter, Campania, c. 400 BC.


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Patroculus kills Sarpedon Glaucus comes to help.

Bendis, a goddess from Thrace, is another version of Artemis. She appears on a Campanian
vase in the Louvre, 380-370BC, with cintamani all over her helmet and her dress:

Fig 39: vase by the Bendis painter, Campania, 380-370BC, Louvre

The same painter has her on another vase, this one in the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston:


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Fig 40: Bendis on a vase by the Bendis painter, Campania, 380-370BC, Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston

Fig 41: detail of Bendis on a vase by the Bendis painter, Campania, 380-370BC,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston


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where they only appear on her helmet. The figure on the right (Hermes) has cintamani on his
cloak, too. The cult of Bendis was introduced into Athens and celebrated there by the
Thracians, but it did not catch on in other parts of Greece. If Bendis came from Thrace,
wearing the triple-dots, may there be a connection with the Thracian treasures of
Panagyurishte and Borovo?

There are several pots showing the legendary Scythian Arimaspes, with the griffins who
guarded the gold of the Gobi desert, always wearing their cintamani-dotted Phrygian
helmets:

Figs 42 & 43: Arimaspus with griffin and detail of Phrygian helmet, c. 340 BC,
Antikensammlung, Berlin


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Fig 44: Arimaspus with griffin on a vase, Campanian, 375-350 BC, Louvre, Paris

In Romanesque manuscripts, the triple dot may be used to represent more elaborate patterns
on silks and other luxury materials. This can not be true for these paintings on vases where
the most intricate woven or embroidered patterns are illustrated with breath-taking bravura.

We see the motif on bowls like this one:

Fig 45: Detail from Italic low-footed red figure bowl, 4thc BC, Philadelphia


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and on others where the triple-dot is more obviously a simplified flower decoration:

Fig 46: Campanian kylix, 400-350 BC, Metropolitan Museum, New York

Nearer home, I spotted the triple dot motif on the base of a Campanian vase now in the
museum of St Germain, Auxerre, in Burgundy:

Fig 47: Campanian dish, 400-350 BC, Museum of St Germain, Auxerre, Burgundy


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Perhaps the most spectacular example of the triple dot motif on a Hellenic vase is this one
from the museum at Boston, where they decorate the lower border:

Fig 48: Campanian vase, 400-350 BC, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Fig 49: Campanian vase, 400-350 BC, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, detail of lower
border


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All these vases were made in the 5th-4th century BC.

Recently, Peter Hubert photographed these two vases from Athens in the British Museum, by
the Antimenes Painter. Each has cintamani on one figure:

Figs 50 & 51: Cintamani on vases by the Antimenes painter, Athenian, c. 520 BC,
British Museum and Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

The Antimenes painter is known by about 140 vases in museums and private collections all
over the world.

The only other pots from mainland Greece where we have found the triple dot motif so far, is
by the Leagros group of painters, but their use is minimal. On this example, there are two
sets of cintamani on a bottom.


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Figs 52 & 53: Cintamani on vases by a Leagros painter, Athenian, c. 510 BC, British
Museum and Louvre, Paris

Cintamani are as rare on pottery from mainland Greece as they are common on pottery from
Southern Italy.

Pottery from Greece was exported to the colonies in Italy in large quantities, but Campanian,
Lucanian and Apulian potters developed their own, more ornate style of painting. No doubt,
some of their work was shipped back to Greece as well, and I believe the use of the triple dot
motif on the mainland was as a result of this two-way traffic.

Following my reading of Trendall, I have added further examples of S. Italian vases
decorated with dishes of food and sometimes the triple dot motif.

The Royal Athena Galleries:
http://www.royalathena.com/pages/greekcatalog/Vases/SouthIt/PK1010K.html has a
number of fine examples. The vase below shows both of these, though the one set of triple
dots (hanging from the females wreath) may be accidental.


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Figs 54 & 55: Apulian red-figure kantharoid skyphos from the Liverpool group, Ca.
340-320 BC.


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Figs 54 & 55: Apulian red-figure kantharoid skyphos from the Liverpool group, Ca.
340-320 BC.

The dishes may represent offerings of food for a funeral or symbolic food for the dead. The
large dish is sometimes described as a phiale and at other times as a patera. In these images
it is said to be filled with eggs. The dots on the youths cap (described as a sakkos) are just
dots. Female headgear on S. Italian pots is often decorated with cintamani, as on the two-
handled mug below, also from Royal Athena:

http://www.royalathena.com/PAGES/GreekCatalog/Vases/SouthIt/PK1002K.html


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Figs 56 & 57: Campanian red-figure skyphos from the circle of the Cassandra painter
near the Laon painter, Ca. 365-350 BC

On the reverse is a prancing, spotted deer. This is a very unusual combination. Food on a
patera and also cintamani appear on this jug:

http://www.royalathena.com/PAGES/GreekCatalog/Vases/SouthIt/PK0966K.html


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Figs 58 & 59: Paestan squat lekythos from the Asteas-Python school, third quarter of
the fourth century.


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Figs 58 & 59: Paestan squat lekythos from the Asteas-Python school, third quarter of
the fourth century.

The offerings are described as eggs. There are two sets of cintamani, one on each side of
the handle.

http://www.royalathena.com/PAGES/GreekCatalog/Vases/SouthIt/GMX20.html


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Fig 60: Apulian red-figure situla from the Patera painter, Ca. 345-325 BC

Here, too, we have a combination of a patera and on this view two small sets of
cintamani. On another web site:

http://www.christies.com/Lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5358507


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Fig 61: Apulian red-figure mug, possibly by the Menzies group, Ca. 340-330 BC

this mug features Eros holding a phiale where the offerings whether eggs, fruit or flowers
are in the form of cintamani. Everything is described except the cintamani!

Of the nearly 600 illustrations in Trendall I would surmise that barely a third are decorated
with cintamani of any kind. It seems to me that where cintamani are depicted, they are most
often stylized flowers or flower patterns:

Fig 62: Paestan red-figure lekanis lid attributed to Asteas - Muse and box Muse du
Louvre, Ca. 360-340 BC


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from: http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K20.1B

This interesting rhyton from S. Italy with more funeral pie & fan decoration, represents a
funerary ceremony:

Fig 63: Rhyton from S. Italy with funerary ceremony, 4thc BC, Burrell Collection, Glasgow

The British Museum has a Dionysos rhyton said to have been made in Athens; I would have
thought S. Italy was more likely:


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Fig 64: Dionysos rhyton, 4thc BC, British Museum

Less often, the cintamani appear as decorations on female clothing especially head-gear
Sakkos or Phrygian cap. Amazons, in particular, are often shown with cintamani on their
clothes.

Occasionally they seem to be just decoration, often only one or two tiny sets of triple dots:


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Fig 65: Detail from the neck of a volute-krater with a naiskos scene by the Ganymede
painter, Antikenmuseum, Basel

From Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily by A D Trendall, Thames and Hudson,
1989. This is a small detail from a large vase. The two small sets of cintamani shown here
are a tiny part of the overall decoration. Sometimes these may be accidental this may be
the case with the end of the wreath on the first image.

Very rarely, they are seen on male clothing, usually indicating outlandish dress from Asia
Minor:


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Fig 66: Paestan red-figure bell-krater attributed to the Python painter, Antikenmuseen,
Berlin, Ca. 340 BC, Odysseus and the sirens

Fig 67: Paestan red-figure bell-krater attributed to the Python painter, Antikenmuseen,
Berlin, Ca. 340 BC, Odysseus and the sirens


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two versions from: http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/O21.2.html

This is a scene from Asia Minor near Troy:


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Figs 68 & 69: Judgement of Paris detail from lebes gamikos (wedding vase) in
Trendall no. 404 Geneva museum of art & history.

It would seem that the fashion for depicting cintamani in Etruria either arose spontaneously
and moved South, to the Greek colonies in Southern Italy, or came over from Thrace with
craftsmen going to work in the colonies. The question remains, did antiques, prized by
later Romans give rise to the re-appearance of cintamani in the 4th century AD? I am now
inclined to believe that this may have been the case.

Thanks to a high-definition photograph kindly sent by the British Museum, I noticed 4thc
cintamani on the scarves of the nymphs below the head of Okeanos in the centre of the great
dish of Mildenhall and also on other details.

Fig 70: detail of cintamani on the Mildenhall plate, 4thc, British Museum

There are also cintamani below a head on a small plinth:


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Fig 71: detail of cintamani on a plinth, Mildenhall plate, 4thc, British Museum

on a vase:


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Fig 72: detail of cintamani on a vase, Mildenhall plate, 4thc, British Museum

and on the tambourine of one of the nymphs:

Fig 73: detail of cintamani on a tambourine, Mildenhall plate, 4thc, British Museum


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Women waving scarves above their heads is a well-known motif from Hellenic art which
was popular in Roman art as witnessed by their presence on a frieze in the Basilica Aemilia
and on the Ara Pacis in Rome, both around the beginning of our era:

Fig 74 and Fig 75: frieze in the Basilica Aemilia, 13 BC and on the Ara Pacis, Rome, 1st
c.AD

The unexpected appearance of cintamani on the Mildenhall plate in the British Isles,
probably has to do with the movements of armies as much as with traded goods.

If there is a connection between Eastern cintamani and the triangulated dot motif of the West,
then one may ask if contrary to established belief - this started as a Western motif that
migrated East.

Alexander the Great may have been instrumental in taking a Western motif from Thrace or
Macedonia to Gandhara, an area of Greco-Buddhist culture. For more on this subject, please
see the Note at the end of this article.

Further examination of 4thc silver of the Roman Empire in the British Museum reveals that
the Okeanos dish is not a happax. We see them on the altar of the Corbridge lanx:


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Fig 76: detail of cintamani on the Corbridge lanx, 4thc, British Museum

on a second altar between a stag and a griffin,


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Fig 77: detail of cintamani on the second altar, Corbridge lanx, 4thc, British Museum

on the stool:


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Fig 78: detail of cintamani on a stool, Corbridge lanx, 4thc, British Museum

on garlands and on the curtain:

Fig 79: detail of cintamani on garlands and curtains, Corbridge lanx, 4thc, British
Museum


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They also appear as flower petals, a stylistic motif which appears on the Lion Hunt dish
from Carthage:

Fig 80: cintamani flowers on the Carthage lion hunt dish, 4thc, British Museum

However, it is on the famous Projecta casket from the Esquiline Treasure, that the silversmith
has really exploited cintamani to the full:

These are not apparent without a magnifying glass or high-definition photography:

Fig 81: the Projecta casket, 4thc, British Museum

The top of the lid shows Projecta, and her husband, Secundus:


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Fig 82: the Projecta casket, 4thc, British Museum

This can be enlarged to reveal cintamani on Secundus cloak, though not on Projectas robe:


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Fig 83: Projecta and Secundus on the casket, 4thc, British Museum

Furthermore, enlargement of a side panel:

Fig 84: Projecta casket, side panel, 4thc, British Museum

shows cintamani on the casket, the curtains and on Projectas dress:


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Fig 85: Projecta casket, detail of servant, 4thc, British Museum


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Fig 86: Projecta casket, detail of Projecta, 4thc, British Museum

The British Museum also has a pair of silver chair ornaments from the Esquiline Treasure,
probably made in Rome in the 4thc, representing Constantinople and Rome:


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Fig 87: Silver chair ornament personifying Constantinople, 4thc Rome, British Museum


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Fig 88: Silver chair ornament personifying Rome, detail of her lap, 4thc Rome, British
Museum

The dresses of both figures are scattered with cintamani.

In Constantinople itself, at about the same time or later, this weight was engraved with
cintamani on the emperors clothes and on each quarter of their orbs:


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Fig 89: Byzantine lead weight, 4thc-5thc, British Museum

The curator comments, Each emperor is diademed and nimbate, wears a cuirass and
paludamentum and holds a scepter and an orb.

Compare the design on the Byzantine lead weight with this detail from the Missorium of
Theodosius, Madrid:


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Fig 90: Detail of the Byzantine Missorium of Theodosius I, 4thc, Real Academia de
Historia, Madrid

A restored copy of the Missorium in the museum at Merida, Spain, shows cintamani not only
on the orbs, and on the corner of the embroidered skirt, but neatly round the second shield:


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Fig 91: Missorium of Theodosius, (copy) Museum of Merida

and decorating the footstools:


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Fig 92: Missorium of Theodosius, Madrid, (copy) Museum of Merida

This salver was made a short time after the Mildenhall Great Dish.

If the British Museum has several pieces of 4thc Roman and Byzantine silver with the three-
dot motif, it is reasonable to suppose that other museums will have some too, not to mention
those that may be in great houses and private collections.

The Mildenhall Treasure has everything to do with Romans in Britain, but what circuits
might have led a motif from Thrace, Etruria and the Roman Empire to Greek-influenced
Afghanistan or back to the West via India or Persia?

On stylistic and chronological grounds, it would seem that the motif travelled from Rome to
Constantinople; certainly the nymphs dancing with scarves can be seen again on the 11thc
crown of Constantine Monomachus, parts of which are in the V&A and in the National
Museum of Budapest.

The motif may then have travelled to Persia from Constantinople. Artisans in the Byzantine
Empire certainly influenced Sassanian artists in Persia, as will be demonstrated by figs 106 et
seq.

In seeking examples of triangulated dots similar to cintamani on artifacts of a period between
the 4thc and 8thc, I noted some on a mosaic found at Bordj-el-Djedid, Carthage - late 5thc to
early 6thc, now in the British Museum. This work is described as representing a Vandal


74
rider, presumably executed by Romans since it is thought that the Vandals were destroyers
who produced no works of art.

Fig 93: Mosaic from Bordj-el-Djedid, Carthage - 5thc to early 6thc, British Museum

The triangulated dots on the horse could be seen as mere decoration, but the crux gammata
surely signifies that the rider is Christian; perhaps the cintamani indicate that he is a rich
man.

Cintamani decorate Goliaths helmet on a 6thc Byzantine plate showing David & Goliath, in
the Metropolitan Museum, New York:


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Fig 94: Byzantine plate, David & Goliath, 6thc, Metropolitan Museum, New York


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Fig 95: 6thc Byzantine plate showing David & Goliath, Metropolitan Museum, New
York, detail of helmet

Even the miniature helmet which has fallen below the miniature combatants is decorated
with cintamani:


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Fig 96: 6thc Byzantine plate showing David & Goliath, Metropolitan Museum, New
York, detail of miniature helmet

The craftsman who made this plate has introduced an original element in mingling the
cintamani with larger single dots. This can also be observed on the clothing of Secundus, Fig
83. The craftsman used this decoration on both helmets but nowhere else on this work.

My feeling is that cintamani appear on Roman Empire silver as a simple decoration with no
significance greater than the desire to indicate silk and luxury.

Whether one believes that there is no particular significance to the motif, whether there is
sometimes significance intended and at other times none, whether the motif may have
different meanings for different people in various locations and at different periods, there is
no gainsaying that the motif travelled great distances between the Roman Empire in the 4thc
and relatively modern times connected or not.

Before leaving the Byzantine world, let us consider my only other example of cintamani on
early mosaic, the decoration in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna:


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Figs 97 & 98: Byzantine mosaic decoration, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, 5thc.,
Ravenna

Obviously the craftsmen here were not thinking about cintamani just fitting triple or five
dot tesserae in, to bring their patterns to life. Nevertheless, this example is significant in the
evolution and dispersal of the triple dot motif as it may be the source of inspiration for later
works in manuscript such as the Gero and Echternach codices in the 10thc., the Stavelot
Bible in the 11thc., and in sculpture such as on a tympanum at La Charit sur Loire in the
12thc. I will show images of all these presently.


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A LOMBARD ARTIFACT, KING AGILULF'S HELMET, 590-616 and other
circular shields decorated with the triple-dot motif

Fig 99: Fragment of King Agilulf's helmet, 590-616, Bargello Museum, Florence

Compare this image with the detail below. Cintamani can be seen on the circular shield.

There are four sets of triple dots decorating the shield. King Agilulf's gown is spotted with
small dots at random.

Fig 99a: details of King Agilulf's helmet, 590-616, Bargello Museum, Florence


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Fig 100: Lefkadia, tomb of Lyson and Kallikles, front lunette

The tomb of Lyson and Kallikles, in Hellenic Macedonia, was painted in the second century
BC.

There are painted triple dots on a circular shield, on a Greek vase of a couple of centuries
earlier, about the 4thc BC.

Fig 101: Greek vase, c.4thc BC Fig 102: Metal circle with three bosses, c.4thc BC


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A metal circle with three bosses found in Czechoslovakia (fig 102) and dated to roughly the
same period, might be part of a larger shield.

This early Romanesque reliquary, carved in ivory also has circular shields with four groups
of cintamani:

Fig 103: Ottonian Reliquary, ivory, British Museum, c.1000

See also, the Cloisters Cross, 12thc, where the cintamani are on the soldiers' shields and are
also seen on the Virgins cloak:


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Fig 104 & 104a: Cloisters Cross, Metropolitan Museum, New York, 12thc

The circular shields have now been curved, and may be decorated with a larger number of
groups of cintamani.

An 11thc mural from the Hermitage of San Baudelio de Berlanga near Soria in Spain shows
a soldier holding a circular shield decorated with triple dots as well as another 3-in-one
design:


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Fig 105: Soldier with cintamani on a shield, Detail of a mural from the Mozarab
Hermitage of San Baudelio de Berlanga near Soria, 11thc, Prado

It may be that there is no connection of any kind between any of these images, and that
craftsmen in various parts of Europe and at various times, simply used this decoration on
circular shields independently of each other, and with no significance intended.

USE OF CINTAMANI ON SASSANIAN SILVER


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There are a number of Sassanid artefacts of 5thc-8thc in metal, now in the Sackler Gallery in
Washington where cintamani can be seen clearly. As I surmised, the cintamani design seems
to have travelled to Persia under the Sassanids after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Fig 106: Sassanian dish with cintamani decoration, 5thc-8thc,
Sackler Gallery, Washington

The text beside the photograph reads: This complex scene, which decorates the interior of a
shallow plate, testifies to the lively cultural interaction that took place between the eastern
Mediterranean and Central Asia in the first millennium. In the center, the Greek god
Dionysos (depicted here with female-like breasts) sits next to the princess Ariadne; to the
right stands the hero Herakles. The plate depicts the triumphal arrival of the Greek god
Dionysos in India. A popular subject of Roman imperial art, it was later depicted over a wide


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area of the Byzantine Empire in textiles, gemstones, and metalwork, and transferred through
such portable media to neighboring Sasanian Iran.

Compare the dancer with the veil to one on Fig 7. This image was still popular in Byzantine
work and, as already mentioned, can be seen on enamels of the 11thc in the V&A and in
Budapest. The leopards spots are indicated by cintamani.

Fig 107: Sassanian dish with cintamani decoration, 7thc, Sackler Gallery, Washington

http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=S1987.113

Cintamani decorate the crowned womans robe and cloak and also the couch.


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Fig 108: Sassanian dish with cintamani decoration, 7thc-9thc, Sackler Gallery,
Washington

Fig 109: details on Sassanian hemispherical bowl with cintamani decoration, 7thc-9thc,


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Fig 110: details on Sassanian hemispherical bowl with cintamani decoration, 7thc-9thc,

Have the columns been influenced by Roman altars such as the one on the Corbridge Lanx,
Fig 76?

http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=F1964.10

A silver bowl of similar style and date is conserved in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore:


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Fig 111: Sassanian silver dish with King and attendants, 7
th
c Walters Art Museum,
Baltimore

The enthroned king in the center of this hammered and carved bowl is flanked on the right
by an attendant waving a fly whisk and on the left by a noble or princely figure holding a
beaded diadem. The ends of the bowl are adorned with dancing girls, whose long scarves fly
backward toward the central scene. Although associated with silver vessels made in Iran
during the Sassanian dynasty (AD 224-651), the vessel's shape and decoration suggest that
this object dates from the early Islamic era.

It is just possible to make out the scarves of the girls, which are decorated with larger, bead-
like cintamani. Similar cintamani engraved like beads or pearls can be seen on another 6th-
7thc Sassanian silver dish from the same museum.


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Fig 112: Sassanian silver dish with King and Queen, 6thc-7thc Walters Art Museum,
Baltimore

As with the Roman Empire silver, the cintamani are sometimes difficult to see without high
definition photography. I have added further examples of Sassanian silver of the IV-VIII
centuries where they can be found, from several museums:


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Fig 113: Sassanian dish with King Shapur hunting deer, 5thc-7thc, British Museum

Fig 114: Sassanian dish with cintamani decoration, 5thc-7thc, British Museum


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The cintamani here are discreet: a row of five above King Shapurs crown, but they are also
present as berries or beads on the crown.

Fig 115: Sassanian dish with a mounted king hunting lion, 5thc-7thc, British Museum


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Fig 116: Sassanian dish with cintamani decoration, 5thc-7thc, British Museum

Here, they are on the kings saddle cloth, and they are the Eastern, mistletoe berry type set
among larger, single beads.


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Fig 117: Sassanian dish with King Bahram V hunting, 5thc, Metropolitan Museum

Cintamani are on the kings skirt, his saddle cloth, and on the robe of the kings musician,
Azadeh, seated behind him. They are of the Western, small triple-dot design, as on the
Roman and Byzantine silver. Two or three hundred years later, a musician at a royal feast is
the only participant to have cintamani on his tunic:


94

Fig 118: Sassanian dish showing a royal feast, 8thc, Hermitage Museum

Fig 119: Sassanian dish showing a royal feast, 8thc, detail of cintamani on the clothes of
the musician, Hermitage Museum


95

Fig 120: Sassanian dish with King hunting, 6thc-7thcc, Bibliothque Nationale, Paris


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Fig 121: Sassanian dish with King hunting, 6thc-7thc, Bibliothque Nationale, Paris

Again, the cintamani are on the kings saddle cloth, the Eastern, mistletoe berry type, more
casual and less deliberate than on the previous example.

Fig 122: Sassanian dish with King Yazdgard hunting deer, 5thc-7thc, Metropolitan
Museum, New York


97

Fig 123: Sassanian dish with King Yazdgard hunting deer, detail, Metropolitan
Museum, New York

King Yazdgard has cintamani decorating his halo. Halos were used to indicate majesty as
well as sanctity.

In the National Museum, Teheran, this dish shows various trades folk at work:


98

Fig 124: Sassanian dish with trades folk, National Museum, Teheran

In both these details, the cintamani are on the womens clothing.


99

Fig 125 & 126: Sassanian dish with tradesfolk, National Museum, Teheran


100

Fig 127: Sassanian dish with man stabbing lion, Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

In addition to the cintamani on the mans clothing, this vase has the interest (for me) of a ring
of chubby senmurvs round the top.


101

Fig 128: Cintamani on the clothing of Sassanid Royalty and nobility; sketches are from:

http://www.transoxiana.org/Eran/Articles/gadjiev.html

Fig 128:3 is taken from the dish seen as Fig 108, above. I have offered a large number of
cintamani depicted on silver as they have outlasted all other media not only because of the
durability of this material but because the value of the objects exceeds that of the silver when
melted down. We will observe the same phenomenon when we come to look at Western
artifacts of the medieval period.

The reliefs in the grottoes at Taq-e-Bostan have not fared so well, and (as with the Etruscan
frescoes) it is fortunate that they were sketched in detail at a period when they could still be
seen in a less damaged state:

http://www.transoxiana.org/Eran/Articles/tanabe.html


102

Fig 129: Cintamani on the clothing of Ahura-Mazda from Taq-e-Bostan

Fig 130: Cintamani on the head-dress of Sassanid king from Taq-e-Bostan

On the Taq-e-Bostan relief, the god Ahura Mazda on the right, crowns King Khosro I
(Chosroes); the goddess Anahitah is on the far left.


103

Figs 131 and 132: Sassanid cave sculpture from Taq-e-Bostan


104

There are many variations on the way this Persian place-name is spelt in English. It is
unfortunate that after 1700 years of being exposed to the elements, the cintamani on the
skirts of Ahura Mazda have nearly disappeared, but a few can be made out on a high
definition photograph.

Fig 133: Cintamani on the skirt of the goddess Anahita from another archaeological
site, Bandiyan (or Bandian), photo by Sassanika.com.

Compare the design of the cintamani above, with those on a bead, said to be 10thc
Byzantine, fig 157.


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Fig 134: Cintamani on the shoulder of a king, centre of a Sassanian or Sassanian-style
dish found at Mtskheta, Georgia

Was this dish, believed to have belonged to a governor over part of the land that was to
become Georgia, instrumental in the introduction of the triple-dot motif to the culture of that
country? This will be considered at the end of the section on frescoes, p.192, Fig.240.

Sassanian Persia of the 4th-8th centuries, already part of the Silk Routes, is where the
Eastern and Western types of cintamani mingle and overlap. It will have been noted that the
cintamani on the clothes of the sculptures at Taq-e-Bostan are of the Eastern style, which is
less common on silverware. The reason for this may simply be the need to work in
a large scale, although this does not explain the inconsistency in the use of the different sizes
on silver.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEXTILES

The importance of textiles, as one of the principal means by which the cintamani motif
(among others) was transmitted, can not be overstated. Inevitably, much of the evidence has
disappeared as textiles are the most vulnerable medium both by their nature and in
consideration of the way they are used. Those scraps which have survived from before 1200
in the West are usually associated with the transportation of relics, or were princely gifts.
These have been conserved in the treasuries of cathedrals where some can still be seen;


106
others can be found in museums all over the world. Those featuring cintamani are rare; in
fact, the evidence that they existed at all is more likely to be in the form of illustrations of
clothing on all media including the silver shown above. However, examination of other
popular motifs such as confronted animals in pearl-framed roundels shows how Sassanian-
style designs dominated the Silk Routes for centuries, especially between the 6th and 10th
centuries. Such designs were much copied in silk and woven fabrics both in the East and the
West, and eventually found their way into the marginal art of manuscript books, into
Romanesque sculpture and all media of the Middle Ages.

A rare and fascinating survival is this china and wooden doll with cintamani on her shawl:

Fig 135: Cintamani on the shawl of Lady Qu, Astana, Turfan, 688 AD

You would be excused for thinking she was a relatively modern creation. Unbelievably, she
is one thousand seven hundred and thirty-two years old! She was made for Lady Qu, and she
lay preserved in a tomb with her husband and other artifacts until they were excavated in
Astana, Turfan, in the Uighur autonomous region in 1973. This guardian figure is not


107
dressed in scraps: each garment was made separately. The pearled medallions on her bodice
reflect the taste for Sassanian-style patterns in China in 688, the year of her burial.

Figs 136 & 137: Cintamani on the Shroud of Sainte Colombe and St Loup, Sens
Cathedral Treasury

The Shroud of Sainte Colombe and St Loup is in Sens Cathedral Treasury. This textile is
described as "Byzantine", 9th century, by the museum at Sens. It is very close to another
textile in the Victoria and Albert Museum where it is said to be Sassanian:

Fig 138 Textile in the V&A, Sogdian, 9th century. This was originally in Verdun
Cathedral.


108

The chief difference between the two fragments is that the dogs at Sens have the triple dot
motif on their bodies, while those on the textile in the V&A have spots all over.

The V&A tells us that these are Sogdian silks from Zandanji, a village near Bukhara. Some
one, some time during the 9th century deliberately changed the spots to the triple dot motif,
or the other way around, while changing very little else!

Cintamani of the small scale triple-dot design that seem to have been favoured in the West,
and of the larger, bead-like variety associated with the East were both used by Sassanian
craftsmen. I would surmise that the former were particularly favoured on smaller items and
the latter when big surfaces were used such as the carpets and big caftans of the later
Ottomans. It may be that the miniature triple-dots were used as a kind of shorthand to
indicate silk and to give an impression of wealth and luxury.

SIR MARC AUREL STEIN AND THE SILK ROUTES

For over a thousand years, from the 2nd century BC, silk and other luxury merchandise was
carried along the Silk Road, the Eurasian trade route linking China with the Mediterranean,
to be exchanged in the towns and oases. It was also a conduit of ideas, beliefs, styles of art
and technologies. Chinese, Indian, Iranian and classical Western culture intersected there and
developed a new synchretistic culture.

The Caves of the Thousand Buddhas are situated in the Chinese province of Gansu, some 15
kilometers to the south-east of Dunhuang. From the mid-4th century a Buddhist community
flourished there. In 1900 a Daoist monk discovered a secret cell in a cave whose entrance
was closed in the 11th century. Thanks to the extreme aridity, an exceptional collection of
thousands of manuscripts and silk paintings in very good condition was conserved there. Sir
Marc Aurel Stein bought most of them, in 1907; they are now in the British Museum. (See
Fig. xx).

Sir Marc was convinced of the influence of Sassanian art on some Chinese silk designs in
what we may loosely term pre-Romanesque times. In his book, Serindia published in
1921, Stein writes:

That Persian designs of Sassanian type were imitated on figured silk fabrics produced in
China during the 7th-8th century is a well-known fact, proved beyond all doubt by the
famous Ito textile from the Horiuji temple of Nara, where it had been deposited in AD 756.
The composition and a number of characteristic details of the hunting scene represented in its
round medallions are as unmistakably Persian as the execution of the whole design and the
ornamental motifs of the foliage in the interspaces are Chinese. There is adequate reason to


109
believe that the reproduction of Persian and other Near-Eastern designs in Chinese textiles
can be traced for centuries later. . .

Pairs of confronting beasts or birds form one of the most persistent and popular motifs in
textiles of Sassanian style, whether produced in Persia or outside it, while the framing of
this motif and of other principal designs in medallions, round or oval and repeated over the
whole surface of the fabric, is the regular and most characteristic feature of the Persian style
of textile decoration.

Steins writings can be accessed online here:
http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/language/en.html.en

This MS of 1200 from the National Library, Vienna, illustrates Steins point about the
continued appeal of Sassanian style design in textiles:


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Fig 139: The Byzantine Emperor, Alexius V, c.1200, Vienna, National Library

Please click here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1335393@N20/pool/


111

to see many further examples of ancient textiles confirming the importance of Sassanian
design on sericulture both further East and in the West throughout late Antiquity and the
medieval period.

The Byzantine Empire was the heir to the Roman Empire. Its Christian emperors ruled from
Constantinople over many provinces around the Mediterranean Sea. Constantinople was also
the centre for the production of works of art for the court and church. The artistic traditions
that were created in Constantinople spread throughout the empire, reaching distant provinces
like Coptic Egypt.

The Sassanian Empire emerged in 224 as another in the series of great cultures in the area
covered by Iran and Iraq. The Sasanian kings rivalled the Byzantine Empire for dominance in
the Middle East, inspired by their state religion, Zoroastrianism.

The first Muslim troops in Central Asia encountered great cultural diversity. There were still
traces of the Hellenistic culture that had followed in the wake of Alexander the Greats
conquests in the 4th century B.C. In the ensuing period, the network of caravan routes that
connected China and India with the Eastern Mediterranean had brought many people and
goods through the mountainous region. Many different religions were practiced in Central
Asia, where Muslims came in contact with Buddhism and its rich imagery.

CINTAMANI ON TEXTILES OF THE OTTOMAN PERIOD

The David Collection, Copenhagen further explains the later development of cintamani:

http://www.davidmus.dk/en/collections/islamic/dynasties/ottomans/art

The chintamani pattern is most often associated with the art of the Ottoman Empire, but it is
older and probably originated with the Central Asian Turkic peoples. It has been
convincingly interpreted as a combination of the tigers stripes and the leopards spots, and
as such refers especially to manly courage.

The pattern is found in different variations, and both the number of the elements and their
position may differ. In this striking example,


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Fig 140: Velvet with chintamani design, Turkey,
mid 16thc, David Collection, Copenhagen

each spot was given two extra spots and the stripes were placed diagonally. In addition, an
almost octopus-like Chinese cloud ornament was added. The famed Ottoman textile industry
had its center in Bursa, but many of the patterns were designed in the royal studio in
Istanbul.

Fig 141: Textile from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul

These 15thc velvet fragments are from Bursa, in Anatolia:


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Fig 142: 15thc velvet cloth from Bursa, Fig 143: 15thc velvet cloth from Bursa,
Metropolitan Museum, New York Brussels, Royal Museum of Art and History

With regard to so many examples of cintamani on clothing of so wide an area in time and
place, on media of every kind, one might suppose that numerous actual fragments may be
seen in museums. Not so: they are almost unknown, especially for periods before the 16th
century, despite the high value placed on silk and the fact that very ancient silk fragments
have been preserved from Egypt to China and all along the silk routes of Central Asia.

However, three garments decorated with cintamani were shown in an exhibition at the
Sackler Gallery, Washington, in 2005:

Fig 144: Cintamani on silk tunic of the
16thc Sackler Gallery, Washington, 2005


114

There may be a connecting thread between some of these flowerings of the triangulated dots,
of which those connected with the Silk Routes were likely to have been the most linked. If
as seems likely - there is a connection between those that appear on Roman Empire silver,
Byzantine and Sassanian silver, it is reasonable to suppose that the design may have reached
the Far East via luxury goods taken from Constantinople and Persia, into Asia. This brings
into question the direction of the flow of the image. The earliest known representation of
cintamani in the East is given as 3rd century, so it is possible that the motif reached the
Roman Empire soon afterwards. There remains the mystery of the Etruscan frescoes of 900
years before this time and the Thracian and Hellenic artifacts displaying the triple-dot motif.
It may be that there is there no connection between the cintamani seen on Etruscan items, and
those observed on Roman silver a millennium later, despite the fact that they share the same
geographical area. Of course, the motif may also have appeared in the East and West,
independently of each other.

At a recent exhibition of Ottoman kaftans and textiles at the Topkapi Palace were several
decorated with cintamani:

Fig 145: Kaftan from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul


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Fig 146: Kaftan from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul, 17thc

We read on the site: http://tea-and-carpets.blogspot.com/2009/12/mysterious-world-of-
chintamani-and-bird.html

The huge scale of the design, which was typical of Ottoman royal costumes, made the
Sultan visible even in large crowds as he appeared in public. Sultans allegedly chose the
Chinese cloud motif on their caftans, named Chintamani, because the motif was symbolic
of triumph over the enemy.

A surprising textile included in the exhibition is this Madonna and Child with angels:

Fig 147: Textile from the Kremlin Museum, Moscow, c. 15th-16thc


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There seems to be a set of cintamani one each side of the Madonnas skirts. A similar pair of
dangling cintamani appear on an enamel from the Stavelot retable, fig. 89, below. On the
other hand, the dangling group of three pom-poms may not be intended as cintamani. This
Coptic fragment from the Louvre, brought to my attention by Miguel Martin has bunches of
grapes that might be mistaken for cintamani, but I do not think this was intended:

Fig 148: Coptic Textile from the Louvre Museum

Cintamani appear on a Coptic orbiculus of the 9th-10thc now in the Muse Dpartementale,
Rouen:


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Fig 149: Textile from Rouen Museum, detail of orbiculus, Coptic 9th-10thc

CINTAMANI OF THE OTTOMAN STYLE ON CARPETS

From: Tea & Carpets, The Mysterious World of Chintamani and Bird Carpets

http://tea-and-carpets.blogspot.com/2009/12/mysterious-world-of-chintamani-and-bird.html

Fig 150: Carpet from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul


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Fig 151: Usak carpet from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul and detail, photo by Anne-
Marie Harrison


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Fig 152: Konya-Karapinar carpet from the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul, photo by Anne-
Marie Harrison

The mysterious icons are the chintamani, three balls hovering over a pair of cloud-like
wavy lines. And for much of the 16th and 17th centuries, they held a special fascination for
Ottoman court artists. The chintamani appear on silks, ceramic plates, tiles, book-bindings,
and embroideries. Sometimes, they even appear on the kaftans worn by the Ottoman sultans.

The chintamani design was so popular in all the decorative arts of the time that it was
probably inevitable it would spill over to carpets as well. And that is exactly what many rug
experts believe happened. Rug expert Louise W. Mackie writes in A Turkish Carpets with
Spots and Stripes (Textile Journal, 1976) that it is highly probable that the origin of the
chintamni carpet design can be traced to the symbols popularity in the art of the Ottoman
court in Istanbul. But what is much harder to explain is where the symbol of the chintamani
itself originated and what it means.

In carpet literature, the design is often said to derive from a Buddhist emblem. The word
chintamani itself comes from Sanskrit and in Buddhist philosophy signifies a treasure ball or
wish-granting jewel. A Buddhist background for the design is an appealing argument
because it also recalls the distant past of the Turkic tribes who migrated to Anatolia from
Central Asia and created the succession of dynasties that culminated in the Ottoman Empire.
The original cultures of the Turkic tribes were based on religions like Buddhism and
Shamanism for millennia before they converted to Islam. But if the three-ball pattern


120
appears in early Central Asian painting and even is associated with the badge of the great
Turkic-Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) in the 14th century, there are still parts of the
symbol that a Buddhist origin cannot easily explain.

In carpet literature, the design is often said to derive from a Buddhist emblem. The word
chintamani itself comes from Sanskrit and in Buddhist philosophy signifies a treasure ball or
wish-granting jewel. A Buddhist background for the design is an appealing argument
because it also recalls the distant past of the Turkic tribes who migrated to Anatolia from
Central Asia and created the succession of dynasties that culminated in the Ottoman Empire.
The original cultures of the Turkic tribes were based on religions like Buddhism and
Shamanism for millennia before they converted to Islam. But if the three-ball pattern
appears in early Central Asian painting and even is associated with the badge of the great
Turkic-Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) in the 14th century, there are still parts of the
symbol that a Buddhist origin cannot easily explain. (End of quotation).

The waves or stripes from the back of the tiger continued to be reproduced on some
Turkish carpets which were exported in quantity to Transylvania from the sixteenth century
and have come to be known as Transylvanian rugs. Many of these can still be seen in
Transylvanian churches, and there are two examples of cintamani (or intamani) rugs in the
Museum of Applied Arts (Iparmvszeti Muzeum) in Budapest:


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Fig 153: 17thc Cintamani rug made in Cairo. Museum of Applied Arts (Iparmvszeti
Muzeum), Budapest

and:


122

Fig 154: 17thc Cintamani Prayer Niche rug ?made in Selendi ? Purchased from
Transylvania,
Museum of Applied Arts (Iparmvszeti Muzeum), Budapest

On the first of the two examples the stripes are like lips but the dots are not triangulated. On
the second example we have triangulated dots but no stripes. Here is a further example of a
similar rug made in Selendi from: http://rjohnhowe.wordpress.com/2007


123

Fig 155: 17thc Cintamani Prayer Niche rug ?made in Selendi

The three illustrations below are from the same site.

a b


124
c
Fig 156: Three examples of cintamani on textiles

a a semi-antique Pao Tao Chinese saddle cover from a recent Bukowskis auction in
Sweden shows how the 3 balls can exist independently from the stripes. This arrangement,
without stripes, is also observable in 16-17century Ottoman textiles and ceramics.

The saddle cover is reminiscent of those depicted on the silver dishes, Similar saddle rugs
are still made and used in Mongolia, and elsewhere in Central Asia.

b a black and white image of the cintamani design on the fabric from a garment of a
known Ottoman sultan, of the 15th century.

c a Karapinar fragment from the 15th century, which has the cat paw on the white
field.

CINTAMANI OF THE EASTERN STYLE ON OTHER ARTEFACTS


125
I conclude this section regarding cintamani on clothing with a photograph of a bead that
seems to be decorated with cintamani and some other, similar beads used with Sassanian
clothing.

Fig 157: Cintamani on a bead, said to be Byzantine, 10thc

Compare the cintamani on this bead with those on the skirt of the goddess Anahita, fig 133.

Fig 158: Beads, said to be Sassanian

from http://www.bead-
database.org/modulesnuke/Gallery/slideshow.php?set_albumName=album01


126
Before returning to Medieval Christendom, a glance at cintamani on some typical tiles of the
Ottoman period shows the difference between the simple triple-dot motif that we have seen
from Etruscan frescoes to Roman and Sassanid silver, and the larger, more flamboyant
decorations that are the cintamani of the Buddhist and Moslem heritage. Those on the left
have extra, smaller circles picked out in red and green, like squinting eyes as well as pairs of
lips. The tiles on the right have smaller subsidiary spots and stripes like squiggles.

Fig 159: Iznik Ottoman tiles with cintamani design, Topkapi Museum, Istanbul

In the Victoria and Albert Museum there is a panel with tiles that are reminiscent of the
textiles Figs 34-36. One tile on this panel seems to be part of the set depicted on Fig 44. It is
the opinion of the curator (but not of Folda) that there is No connection with Buddhist
cintamani.


127

Fig 160: Cintamani on Islamic tiles, Victoria & Albert Museum, London

This is what the curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum has written below these tiles:

Pairs of wavy lines and groups of three large dots represent the pelts of the striped tiger and
spotted leopard. In the Islamic world, the designs acquired powerful associations. The
Iranian hero Rustam, for example, is usually depicted wearing a tiger-skin coat. By 1500
these designs were popular on Ottoman Turkish textiles, and were often combined. They
soon appeared in other media, such as tilework.

The triple-dot design has been confused with the Buddhist precious jewel motif (Sanskrit
cintamani), which is sometimes shown in groups of three. But there is no connection.

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS - MANUSCRIPTS

Returning to cintamani on Western medieval objects, after their probable introduction by
way of silver and textiles, these would appear to have commenced with manuscripts. We
have already noted their presence in the 8th century, in the book of Kells and of Macdurnan.

Triple dots have been applied with care to just the hem of St Marks underskirt on this page
from the Carolingian Ada Gospels of the 8th to 9th century:


128

Fig 161: Ada Gospels, 8th-9th century, Trier

while, on another Carolingian bible known as the Vivian Bible, now in the Bibliothque
Nationale, Paris, three prelates on the right of the main picture are beautifully clothed with
cintamani all over their silken robes.

Fig 162:Vivian Bible, 9th c, Paris, Bibliothque Nationale

This masterpiece was painted in the monastery of St Martin de Tours.


129

They also make a dramatic appearance on one page from the 10thc Paris Psalter:

Fig 163: Paris Psalter, 10th c, Paris, Bibliothque Nationale

Isaiah is at prayer, Dawn is shown as a child with a torch, while Night, wearing a cloak of
stars, douses her torch. The border is decorated with cintamani on each side of the lozenges
as well as 5-dot flowers.

This MS, of the Byzantine Macedonian School suggests a possible link with the 4thc
Mildenhall plate, where the similarity to the nymphs with cintamani on their scarves can


130
surely not be accidental. Women flaunting scarves (albeit, without the cintamani) can also
be seen on the Byzantine enamels decorating the Constantine Monomachos crown.

Fig 164: Byzantine dancing girl, 11thc Fig 164a: Byzantine dancing girl, 11thc
from the crown of Constantine from the crown of Constantine Monomachos,
Monomachos, Budapest V&A Museum, London

A female figure in motion waving a scarf (with or without cintamani) above her head, is a
Hellenistic motif. It appears, for example, on the Sassanian plate, Fig 126, of 5th-8thc, as
well as on several Sassanian vases of the same period, where cintamani are not apparent.

The Sacramentary of Charles the Bald dates from the 9thc:

Fig 165 & 165a: The Sacramentary of Charles the Bald, St Paul expounds the
Scriptures to Eustochium, BNF, Paris

The next photo shows the triple-dots on the womens cloaks more clearly:


131

Fig 165 & 165a: The Sacramentary of Charles the Bald, St Paul expounds the
Scriptures to Eustochium, modern reproduction

Fig 165b: The Sacramentary of Charles the Bald, 9thc, BNF, Paris

The Carolingian School produced numbers of influential works of art that were diffused
throughout the Empire of Charlemagne and his descendants such as The Gospels of Lothaire
I, 9-10thc:


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Fig 165c: The Gospels of Lothaire I, 9-10thc, BNF, Paris

of Otto III:

Fig 166: cintamani on saints clothing Gospel of Otto III, c.1000, Munich

and the Sacramentary of Warmondo or Warmund, Bishop of Ivrea, . These volumes are
embellished with cintamani, especially on the clothing of holy persons and grandees.


133

Fig 167& 167a: Sacramentary of Warmondo, Crowning of Otto III by the Virgin Mary,
10thc., Ivrea Biblioteca Capitolare, nr. Turin

Fig 167b& 167c: Sacramentary of Warmondo, Letter V, 10thc., Ivrea Biblioteca
Capitolare, nr. Turin

On the next slide from the same book we see the triple-dot motif of both Eastern and
Western form on the altar cloth. This is the only place where they appear on this page:


134

Fig 167d: Sacramentary of Warmondo, 10thc., Ivrea Biblioteca Capitolare, nr. Turin

It is possible that the triple-dot motif on these manuscripts made and kept near Turin gave
rise to the appearance of the motif on frescoes at churches in the area. I will give examples
of these in the appropriate section.

I illustrate the later development of cintamani in Romanesque France with some images from
my article on The Nazareth Master and the Master of Plaimpied:

http://www.green-man-of-cercles.org/articles/nazareth_capitals.pdf

starting with manuscripts, where cintamani are found most frequently. Below are examples
from France, Germany, Spain, Italy and England:


135

Fig 168: St Amand Collationes Patrum, c.1050, St Theodore

On this Entry into J erusalem one can even see the clavus and patches of embroidery that
we know outstandingly from Coptic fragments.


136

Fig 169: cintamani on the clothes of Jesus and a disciple, c. 1100
Sacramentary of Saint-tienne in Limoges, Bibliothque Nationale, Paris

Throughout the evolution of cintamani, we have examples of works where they are seen on a
small number of the figures in any work where they appear. Where these are on their
clothing I believe that this is to indicate persons of high status who are given silken clothing
to emphasize their importance. In the case of the illuminated manuscript above, J esus and
his disciples are further dignified by being given costly embroidered panels, as well.


137

But on this marginal image of a triple-headed drinking Janus, the cintamani are a decoration
of stars in a rusty sky;

Fig 170: cintamani on the background of a Janus or Trifrons,
13thc, Beaune, Bibliothque Municipale

On this MS the Virgin Mary wears a cloak with cintamani, uniquely among the saints beside
and below her:


138

Fig 171: cintamani on the cloak of the Virgin Mary, c1200, Vatican Museum

Fig 172: cintamani on the loincloth of Christ, Helmarshausen MS, 1190-1200, Trier


139

Fig 173: cintamani on saints clothing St Albans Psalter, Hildesheim, c.1120

Both Gabriel and Mary have cintamani on their cloaks in this Annunciation from a
12thc.German MS. Those interested in the question of the ordination of women will notice
that Mary has been dressed as a priest:

Fig 174: cintamani onGabriels and Marys cloaks Wrttembergisches
Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart


140

The Hitda Codex, 1000-20, is a rich source of cintamani. On this page, only J esus has them:

Fig 175: The Storm at Sea, from the Hitda Codex, 1000-20, Darmstadt, Hessische
Landesbibliothek

but on my next example, they are also on the cape of the man with the withered hand.


141

Fig 175a: Hitda Codex Healing the man with the withered hand

In the Gero Codex, another Christ in Majesty, 950-70, also in Darmstadt, cintamani decorate
the border:

Fig 176: Gero codex, Christ in Majesty, 950-70, Darmstadt


142

while in the Echternach Codex Aureus, cintamani decorate architectural features, as on the
tympanum at La Charit sur Loire, Fig. 259a:

Fig 177: Echternach Codex Aureus, 10thc, Cologne School

Similar designs surround the Christ in Majesty of the Stavelot Bible c.1093, now in the
British Library:


143

Fig 178: Christ in Majesty, Stavelot Bible,1093-7, British Library

Christs lap is sprinkled with cintamani and they also decorate the border and the angels
robe:


144

Fig 178a: Christ in Majesty, detail, Stavelot Bible,1093-7, British Library

As I mentioned earlier, the border design may have evolved from the 5thc. Byzantine
mosaics surrounding the arch in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna.

There are 3-dot and 5-dot patterns on Christs cloak on this Christ in Majesty from the
Bamberg MS, 1045-75, now in Cologne:


145

Fig 179: Christ in Majesty, Bamberg MS, 1045-75, Cologne

Cintamani illumine the night sky on this page from the prayer book of Hildegard of Bingen,
now in Lucca:

Fig 180: Prayer book of Hildegard of Bingen, c.1200, Lucca state library


146

I conclude this section of cintamani on German MS with this stunning night sky from
Saxony:

Fig 181: Civitas Dei, Posa Scriptorium, Zeitz, Saxony

In Spain, various editions of the Beatus MS feature the triple dots:


147

Fig 182: cintamani on the clothing of the evangelist, Beatus of St Sever, 11thc

Cintamani are depicted on many more pages from the same Beatus, both on clothing and
curtains.


148

Fig 183: cintamani on two backdrops, Beatus of Las Huelgas, 11thc

Another Beatus showing extensive use of cintamani is that of S Andrs de Arroyo from the
abbey there, in Palencia:


149

Fig 184: Beatus of S Andrs de Arroyo, c.1215, The Woman clothed with the sun

Fig 184a: Beatus of S Andrs de Arroyo, St Michel and the Dragon

The border around this image is also decorated with cintamani.


150

Fig 185: Beatus of S Andrs de Arroyo, c.1215, The Last Trump

Fig 186: Beatus of S Andrs de Arroyo, c.1215, The Last Trump


151
Where it is the background that is decorated with cintamani, it may be mere decoration or
it may be a wish to add dignity to the person depicted in the form of a star-studded sky. At a
certain period it seems to be a convention used in many parts of Christendom.

Fig 187: cintamani on the Fig 188: cintamani on the
background of Alfonso VI background of King Fernando


152

Fig 189: cintamani as the night sky, and on St James robe, Monza, private collection


153

Fig 190: cintamani on a MS showing Wisdom Crowned, Libro di Morimondo, or
Bibbia Mugellano, Biblioteca Laurenziana, Florence,


154

Fig 191: cintamani mixed with stars & planets on the background of Adam weeding,
c. 1180, the Haag, Royal Library

This Sicilian Madonna from Messina, now in Madrid, is interesting as she has both Eastern
& Western kinds of triple dots on her lap, as well as more on the grey cloth below her feet:


155

Fig 192: Madonna and Child, 1182-95, Messina, now in Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional

Fig 193: Madonna and Child, 1182-95, Messina, now in Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional


156
I have several examples from England starting with the manuscript book known as the
Hunterian Psalter, c.1170, is presumed to be from the North of England, and is now in the
Glasgow University Library. The images on this site:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hunterian_Psalter_c._1170_digging.jpg

are thick with cintamani:

Fig 194: cintamani as background in three examples from the Hunterian Psalter, 1170

Fig 195: cintamani as background, Fig 196: cintamani as background &
on head of Christ by Matthew Paris, 13thc King Johns clothes, Matthew Paris

Note the similarity of the mixed background on fig 62a, where flower-like decorations are
mingled with the cintamani and fig 66b, where a similar design is seen on King J ohns
clothing. St Bedes night sky, fig 67, shows stars among the cintamani. The mixture of


157
triangulated triple dots among other spots can also be seen on several Bulgarian frescos, figs
230-235. Such mixed designs are seen from the Byzantine David Plate in the Metropolitan
Museum onwards. They also abound in the 13thc "Histoire d'Outremer" by Guillaume de
Tyr (William of Tyre ) now in the British Library:

Figs 197 & 197a: "Histoire d'Outremer", Guillaume de Tyr (William of Tyre )
British Library, 13thc

Fig 198: cintamani as background, Fig 198a: cintamani as background,
St Cuthbert, from Bedes life of the saint, St Cuthbert, from Bedes life of the saint,
London, British Library, 13thc London, British Library, 13thc

This picture of a malefactor being punished by confinement in a hutch:


158

Fig 199: cintamani on Initial E, 1347, Bristol Records Office

is one of eighteen illustrations from various medieval manuscripts, English, French, German,
and Italian. This one is the illustration from a historiated initial letter 'E' (introducing the
name of the king, Edward III) to the royal charter in the form of letters patent, dated 24 April
1347, granting Bristol the right to imprison night walkers and fraudulent bakers, the latter
being depicted in the lower half of the initial. Here, the person with cintamani on his robe is
secular and not obviously distinguished. My thanks to William Smith, of the Bristol Records
Office, for this interesting information.

Here is a curiosity: an Arabian manuscript of 1337:


159

Fig 200: Cintamani on an Arabian manuscript of 1337


160

Fig 200a: Cintamani on an Arabian manuscript of 1337, detail

The central figure may be Sultan Baybars; the winged creatures might be angels or devils,
but there are cintamani on the object they are holding over his head.

This Persian miniature illustrates Kaikus, (the Persian Alexander the Great) rising to heaven
on a throne borne aloft by eagles baited with meat on spears.


161

Figs 201 & 201a: Cintamani on a Persian manuscript of the 14thc.

There are golden cintamani on the scarlet cloth. A full explanation of the story can be read
here:

http://www.green-man-of-cercles.org/articles/alexander.pdf

And here is a Persian miniature illustrating Eskander (Alexander the Great) at the Kaba:


162

Fig 202: Cintamani on a Persian manuscript of the 15thc.

Both these manuscripts are in the 2010/11 Shahnameh exhibition at the Fitzwilliam
Museum, Cambridge. I have found these manuscripts featuring cintamani to be very rare in
comparison to the European examples.

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS WOOD

A famous icon from the Monastery of St Catherine, Sinai, of Christ Pantocrator is one of the
earliest representations of what became the canonical face of J esus as a mature, bearded man:


163

Fig 203: Christ Pantocrator, Monastery of St Catherine, Sinai, 6
th
-7thc

There are four sets of triple-dots on each side of the cross on the Gospel book in Jesus left
hand. These may represent the Holy Trinity, or the cardinal points as on an orb, symbolizing
the universality of the Gospel message.

Sets of triple dots on Gospel books presented as pearls decorating the covers, possibly to
represent pearls of wisdom and surely to symbolize the Holy Trinity are seen frequently,
such as on this 12thc fresco from San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, Italy, Fig 219e:
which is covered more fully in the next section:


164

Fig 219e: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

Cintamani appear on a camel painted on a roof beam in the 12th century Capella Palatina, in
Monreale, Sicily:


165

Fig 204: cintamani on a camel, Capella Palatina, Monreale, Sicily, 12th century

This Spanish altar front from Avi, in Catalonia, is painted on wood, as is my next example:


166
Fig 205: cintamani on the clothing of the Madonna and one of the Magi,
altar frontal Avi, 1170, National Museum of Catalan Art, Barcelona

Fig 206: cintamani on the cope of St Peter, altar frontal from the Bo Valley,
National Museum of Catalan Art, Barcelona


167

Fig 207: cintamani on the border of an altar frontal from Espinelvas, c 1187,
Vic, Episcopal Museum, Catalonia

Fig 208: cintamani on a wooden panel from the 13thc ceiling of Teruel Cathedral,
Aragon

To see more of these interesting panels, please click on:
http://www.almendron.com/arte/arquitectura/techumbre/t_02/torneo_104.jpg however, this is
the only one on the site showing cintamani.

Cintamani are on Christs robe on a wooden sculpture of the Madonna and Child:


168

Figs 209 & 210: cintamani on the robe of the infant Christ, 13thc, Barcelona, MNAC

Photograph sent by Eadan, of the Circulo Romanico.

http://www.circuloromanico.com/foro_club_del_romanico/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=127

A triptych with scenes from the Apocalypse, by Master Bertram from Hamburg, c. 1380, and
now in the V&A, shows saints and angels whose clothes are decorated with cintamani:


169

Fig 211: Triptych with scenes from the Apocalypse, Master Bertram, Hamburg, c.
1380, now in the V&A Museum

Fig 211a: Triptych with scenes from the Apocalypse, Master Bertram, Hamburg, c.
1380, now in the V&A Museum


170

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS - FRESCO

Cintamani on Romanesque frescoes in the West are rare , possibly because so many church
frescos have been destroyed or painted over.

My first example is not Romanesque but from a cave in China, where we see a Uighur prince
whose attendants clothes are decorated with cintamani, in contrast to the West, where this
decoration is normally reserved for the noblemen:

Fig 212: Uighur prince from Cave 409, Mogao, Dunhuang,
c.1038-1227

It dates to the Western Xia Tangut dynasty (1038-1227), which ruled Dunhuang and parts of
Northern China until the Mongol invasion. My thanks to Heleanor Feltham for this image
and the accompanying information.

The second example is from a Nestorian church, also in China. There are cintamani on the
robe of the figure on the right:


171

Fig 213: Nestorians celebrating Palm Sunday, fresco from Bezeklik, Xinjiang 9th-10thc,
now in the Anthropological museum, Berlin

This fresco, from the church of Seo de Urgell, is now in the National Museum of Catalan Art
in Barcelona:


172

Fig 214: Cintamani on the cloak of St John, Seo de Urgell,
12thc, National Museum of Catalan Art, Barcelona

Cintamani can also be seen on frescoes in two other Catalonian churches, from Sant Marti
Sescorts, and Sant Pau de Casserres now in the Episcopal Museums in Vic and Solsona
respectively:


173

Figs 215 & 215a: Cintamani on the ground below Adam and Eve, Sant Marti Sescorts,
12th c., now in the Episcopal Museum, Vic

The white triple dots decorating the earth, like daisies, are associated here with more daisy-
like white dots on the border, below.


174

Fig 216: Cintamani on the clothes of two angels holding long trumpets, Sant Pau de
Casserres, 12th c., now in the Episcopal Museum, Solsona

I am only aware of examples in two churches in France, firstly, the abbey church of St Savin
sur Gartempe:


175

Fig 217: Cintamani on the Master mason building the Tower of Babel,
12thc, St Savin sur Gartempe

Was the artist indicating the high status of the Master mason by depicting him in silk or did
he imagine that this was Eastern dress, such as might have been worn by a Babylonian? It is
probable that the artists working at St Savin picked up the cintamani motif from manuscripts.
If the craftsman in charge of this fresco project intended a self-portrait, perhaps he wanted to
indicate his importance by wearing silk at work.


176

Fig 217a: Cintamani on a scarlet gown, 12thc, St Savin sur Gartempe

Fig 217b: Cintamani on Christs robe, 12thc, St Savin sur Gartempe


177

Although I have identified cintamani on a few of the figures depicted at this church, the
majority of figures do not have them, which would seem to re-inforce the idea that this
decoration indicates high status.

The other French church where I have seen the triple-dot motif on fresco is at Pouzauges in
the Vende, where it decorates a frieze above St J oachim:

Fig 218: Cintamani on a Greek key-hole pattern decoration, 12th-13thc, Pouzauges


178
The Abbey of Novalesa is about 8kms before Susa, Piedmont, Italy when driving from
France to Turin. In the chapel of San Eldrado, where all the walls are painted with 12thc
frescos of very high quality and in excellent condition, many cintamani are seen: on the hem
of the dying saints blanket but also on the Host in the Abbots left hand, where this is surely
a symbol of the Holy Trinity:

Fig 219: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

on the embroidered shoulder band of Christ in Majesty:


179

Fig 219a: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

three sets on the blanket in which the poor girls are sleeping in the story of St Nicholas:

Fig 219b: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

on St Nicholas sleeves and on the wood of the chair:


180

Fig 219c: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

and on the braid of St Nicholass cloak on this image:

Fig 219d: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc
as well as in a few other details. I am not ignoring the fact that the 4-dot motif and some
other decorations are visible too, but I note that the triple-dot has been used sparingly but
very deliberately, always to draw attention and to give extra dignity.


181

My final image from this Abbey does not show cintamani but is included for the sets of triple
dots on the Saints Gospel books. As mentioned before, they are presented as pearls
decorating the covers, possibly to represent pearls of wisdom and surely to symbolize the
Holy Trinity:

Fig 219e: San Eldrado, Novalesa Abbey, Piedmont, 12thc

The tradition of decorating the Gospels with sets of triple dots or pearls goes right back to the
6
th
-7thc icon of Christ Pantocrator, from the Monastery of St Catherine, Sinai, Fig 203,
illustrated on page 156.

The use of cintamani is quite common in this part of Italy, and I found it on frescos at the
Abbey of Vezzolano, East of Turin. These are in the cloister, and date from ca.1240:


182

Fig 220: Abbey of Vezzolano, East of Turin, cintamani decoration on 14thc frescoes

Fig 220a: Abbey of Vezzolano, East of Turin, cintamani decoration on 14thc frescoes

Here they are decorations among vine leaves and portraits of worthies around a Christ in
Majesty.

On a Crucifixion of ca.1290, we see them on a saints cloak and also decorating the leaf &
ribbon border:


183

Figs 220b & 220c: Abbey of Vezzolano, East of Turin, cintamani decoration on 13thc
frescoes

This angel with cintamani on his clothes may be a fresco from the chapel in the Castello of
Selvico in the Eastern Tyrol, near Trent:


184

Fig 221: Angel with cintamani on his clothes, fresco possibly from the chapel in the Castello
di Selvico, Eastern Tyrol, near Trent

It is possible that the triple-dot motif on the frescoes at these churches came to the area by
way of manuscripts such as the Sacramentary of Warmondo or Warmund, Bishop of Ivrea,
969-1011 illustrated on pages 125-7, figs 167-167d.

In Syria, there are examples of cintamani depicted in the monastery church of Deir Mar
Musa and in the Church of SS Sergius and Bacchus in Qara, both from the first half of the
13thc. Here we are not far from Crusader lands, so the presence of cintamani is in keeping
with Foldas view that cintamani are closely associated with Crusader art.


185

Fig 222: Cintamani on the clothing of St Barbara, Deir Mar Musa, Syria, c.1208

Photograph by kind permission of Robert Mason, from the site
http://antiquity.ac.uk/Projgall/mason


186

Fig 222a: Cintamani on the clothing of St Basil, Deir Mar Musa, Syria, c. 1208

Fig 223: Cintamani on the sleeves of God and of St Theodore, Church of SS Sergius and
Bacchus in Qara, first half of the 13thc

Photographs by kind permission of Mat Immerzeel (Paul van Moorsel Centre/Leiden
University), from the site http://www.medievalart.org/htm/immerzeel.html who writes,


187

Despite the stylistic analogies the Qara painter was another person. The frescoes in Deir
Mar Musa have been accomplished in AD 1208/9 whereas the Qara artist must have been
active at a later moment, to my personal opinion around the mid-thirteenth century. The
village was attacked and depopulated in 1266, which gives a reliable terminus ante quem. I
have looked at other horsemen in Lebanon and Syria; some of them are accompanied by the
divine hand but there is too much damage to see any traces of dotted decoration, making it
very difficult to retrace a system in the application of the cintamani motif. Mar Musa and
Qara are not situated within Crusader lands but within Muslim territory, at the east side of
the Lebanese mountains.

The Byzantine frescos in the Macedonian church of Holy Mother of God, Peribleptos, Ohrid,
were painted in the 13thc by the brothers Michael and Eutichius from Thessalonika.

Fig 224: Cintamani on the sheet below the dead Christ, Peribleptos, Ohrid, 13thc


188

Michael and Eutichius worked at several churches near Ohrid, in Macedonia, including the
church of S Nikita, Banjani, where they painted the Wedding Feast at Cana:

Fig 225: Cintamani on the clothes of guests, church of S Nikita, Banjani, 13thc

where several participants wear clothes decorated with cintamani. The curtains are sprinkled
with cintamani too, as on the Projecta casket. In the same church, there is a painting of the
Christchild sleeping on a Byzantine-style cushion decorated with cintamani, and a majestic
Archangel Gabriel with a tunic scattered with both cintamani and clustered dot motifs similar
to those on some MS.


189

Fig 226:Cintamani on the cushion of the Christchild, church of S Nikita, Banjani, 13thc


190

Fig 227: Cintamani on the clothes of St Gabriel, church of S Nikita, Banjani, 13thc

Compare this Archangel Gabriel by Michael and Eutychius at St Nikita, Banjani, with the
next detail, an Archangel Michael from Sopocani, Serbia. Michael and Eutychius
dominated fresco painting in Macedonia and Serbia for several decades. Their work and the
details of frescoes shown here, are part of the Byzantine Paleologue (or Paleologan)
Renaissance which started at Ohrid.


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Fig 228: Cintamani on the clothes of the Archangel Michael, Socopani, Serbia

Fig 229: Salome with cintamani on her dress from the Serbian church of St Demetrius
at Pee near Sopocani.


192
This detail on a fresco from the Serbian church of St Demetrius at Pee is probably later than
the frescoes painted by Michael and Eutychius at Ohrid, in Macedonia, in the Byzantine
tradition.

Greek Orthodox frescos with cintamani decoration were still being painted in Bulgaria two
centuries later, as can be seen from figs 230-235. These appear on the clothing of warrior
saints, on the cushion of a Christ in Majesty and on the clothing of the Emperor Constantine
at Kremikovski Monastery, Bulgaria. (NB, the name of this monastery is spelt in different
ways).

Fig 230: Cintamani on the clothes of Saints, Kremikovski monastery near Sofia,
Bulgaria, 15thc


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Bulgaria, 15thc


194

Bulgaria, 15thc


195

Fig 233: Cintamani on the cushion of Christ, Kremikovski Monastery, Bulgaria, 15thc

Fig 234: Cintamani on the clothes of the Emperor Constantine, Kremikovski
Monastery Bulgaria, 15thc


196

Note the mixture of the triple dots with the 6-dots around a circle. While the triple dot
pattern is so simple that a case might be made out for its spontaneous and unconnected use in
many times and places, this can not be said of the mixture shown above. Although it can be
accepted as decoration without deeper significance, it is unlikely that there is no connection
between artifacts decorated in this way, even when they appear in countries as far apart as
Spain, England and Bulgaria, and times as distant as the 11th to the 15th centuries. It would
be reasonable to suppose that the link came about via manuscripts, though (as I have
mentioned), a mixed design of cintamani and spots is seen on the Byzantine David Plate in
the Metropolitan Museum.

A curious but very deliberate use of cintamani from the same Kremikovski Monastery is seen
on a border to one of the frescos:

Fig 235: Cintamani on a fresco border, Kremikovski Monastery, Bulgaria, 15thc

All these examples are relatively late, but the triple-dot motif is seen around the time of
Georgias most famous poet, Shota Rustaveli, 1172-1216. This portrait:


197

Fig 236: Cintamani on a fresco of Shota Rustaveli, Holy Cross monastery, Jerusalem

is in the Georgian Holy Cross monastery in J erusalem, where he lived. Is the triple-dot
pattern above his left hand, (which is visible three more times within the body of the text)
derived from Arabic or Hebrew calligraphy?

Fig 237: Cintamani on a page of the 10thc Aleppo Codex

Does it have any particular significance? Might it be connected with the prevalence of this
motif in numerous frescoes in Serbian and Bulgarian churches? Georgian writing is closely
linked to Armenian, both having been invented by Christian missionary monks in the early
centuries of the Christian era. The alphabets of Greece, Persia and other nations were used
as a source.


198
I looked at examples of inscriptions in Georgian languages to see if triple dots form part of
the script they do. This example is taken from the tympanum of the church of St David
Gareja:

Fig 238: Cintamani on the tympanum of the church of St David Gareja, Georgia

Cintamani, along with the four-dot motif, are seen on some of the frescos inside this church:

Fig 239: Cintamani on a fresco in the church of St David Gareja, Georgia


199

Fig 239a: Cintamani on a fresco in the church of St David Gareja, Georgia

Georgia is far from Bulgaria, on the other side of the Caspian Sea, but the Silk Route
traversing both countries will surely have resulted in the transmission of cultural influences
as well as exchanges of merchants, artists and missionaries.

On the other hand, the triple-dot motif was already in Georgia via a Sassanian dish allegedly
of the 4thc:

Figs 240 & 240a: Cintamani on a Sassanian or Sassanian-style silver dish 4thc found at
Mtskheta, Georgia


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CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS IVORY

To date, I have found very few objects made of ivory with cintamani decoration.

There are small sets of triple dots on the left shoulder, right sleeve and right knee of St
J oseph on a 10th c. ivory Nativity in Liverpool:

Fig 241: St Joseph with cintamani, morse ivory, 10thc, Liverpool Museum

and on two panels of the Cloisters Cross, Metropolitan Museum, New York.


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Fig 242 & 242a: Two panels from the Cloisters Cross, 1170, Metropolitan Museum,
New York

Fig 242b: Detail of cintamani on two panels from the Cloisters Cross, 1170,
Metropolitan Museum, New York


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Fig 242c: Detail of cintamani on two panels from the Cloisters Cross, 1170,
Metropolitan Museum, New York

These photos are from an article in GESTA by - Elizabeth C. Parker. Professor Parker also
indicated the presence of cintamani on a marble slab by Bernardo Antelami in Parma in
1178, figs. 262-262b.

Cintamani can be seen on the shields of the soldiers, and on the robe of the Virgin Mary.
These are the only cintamani among all the figures on both sides of the cross. The shape of
the shields is similar to the part of the Virgin Marys robe, and it is possible that the
craftsman began by decorating her dress, having seen similar decoration on other artifacts,
and was then drawn to enliven two of the soldiers shield with the cintamani design, without
intending any particular significance to their use.

Click here to read about the Cloisters Cross on the Cloisters Museum website:

http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cloisters/the_cloisters_cr
oss/objectview.aspx?collID=7&OID=70010728

The current view is that the Cloisters Cross and the Bury Bible are both the work of Master
Hugo, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, among other works by him there, in different media.
Can any inference be drawn from the presence of cintamani on the Cloisters Cross, but their
absence as far as I know from the Bury Bible?

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS - ENAMEL

If cintamani on Romanesque ivory are rare, they are seen more frequently on enamels,
perhaps because the workshops may have been a fairly tight-knit community using a small


203
number of patterns books. Ivories, on the other hand, were produced in centres that were
more widely dispersed.

Figs 243 & 243a: Plaque of Two Wise Virgins, 1180, now in Florence and Vienna


204

Fig 244: St Paul disputing with the Greeks and Jews, 1170-80, V&A

Fig 244a: St Paul let down in a basket, 1170-80, V&A


205

Fig 245: Cintamani on a Limoges casket of the 12thc from the Hermitage


206

Fig 246: Cintamani on a roundel, Charity from the Retable of St Remaclus from
Stavelot, c. 1150

This is one of two surviving roundels from this important work; the other is in Berlin. Do
the dangling cintamani, reminiscent of those decorating the Madonnas cloak on fig 147,
above, qualify as cintamani at all? I return to the question of why cintamani were so popular
on enamels. It is possible that these small but valuable objects like the 4thc-8thc silver
from Rome to Persia - survived better than silk which would be worn and used and wear out
quickly. No doubt the majority of objects decorated with cintamani on textiles disappeared
without trace except in depictions of clothing and cloths on more durable media. I have not
found any evidence of cintamani on glass or on ceramics before modern times, with the
exception of Ottoman tiles. This may be because none have survived or because it was never
considered a design appropriate for household use.

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS OTHER METALS

The triple-dot motif is seen all over the tunic of St Baudime on this 12thc reliquary:


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Fig 247: Cintamani on the reliquary of St Baudime, 12thc, St Nectaire, Auvergne

Cintamani decoration is present more sparingly on the robe of St Romain on this silver-gilt
casket from Alsace:


208

Fig 247a: Cintamani on the Casket of St Roman, 12thc Reiningue, Alsace

Cintamani can be seen on the bronze door panels of Pisa Cathedral made by Bonanno Pisano
in 1180:


209

Fig 248: The Massacre of the Innocents, Pisa, 1180

Herod, his soldier and the unfortunate mother all seem to be wearing luxurious clothing, but
only the mother's dress is decorated with cintamani. These can also be seen on the cloak of
Christ preaching:


210

Fig 248a: Cintamani on Christ preaching, Pisa, 1180

and on Christ Entering J erusalem:


211

Fig 248b: Cintamani on Christ Entering Jerusalem, Pisa, 1180

as well as on a disciples cloak, and on other panels of the same door made by Bonanno of
Pisa. These photographs are by Franco Malatesta, and can be seen in more detail here:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/J uliannaLees/PisaSculptures?authkey=Gv1sRgCLzV_6CVsK
KGHg#

CINTAMANI ON ROMANESQUE ARTEFACTS STONE SCULPTURE

From metal, I turn to cintamani on Romanesque stone sculpture, starting with some examples
from my article on the work of the Nazareth Master or Nazareth & Plaimpied Master:

http://www.green-man-of-cercles.org/articles/nazcaps.pdf


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Fig 249: Christ from Plaimpied-Givaudins, 12thc, Berry

Another fragment in Plaimpied, thought by some experts to be the work of the same master,
is of Abraham bearing away the soul of Canon Sulpicius:


213

Fig 250: Canon Sulpicius from Plaimpied-Givaudins, 12thc, Berry

The Nazareth Master is generally believed to have carved this statue of St Peter:

Fig 251: St Peter fragment, 12thc, Nazareth, Palestine

It is just possible that he was associated with this fragment from St Ruf, now in the Louvre:


214

Fig 252: Sculpture from St Ruf, Valence, now in the Louvre

There are triple-dot patterns or cintamani on the St Ruf sculpture, as on the Plaimpied
Temptations capital, the Canon Sulpicius slab, and the Nazareth St Peter torso, but on
relatively few other sculptures of the period. (See http://www.green-man-of-
cercles.org/articles/nazcaps.pdf p.28

It has been suggested that the capital illustrated in the next photo may be by the Nazareth
Master, and I believe that I have established this, based on the cintamani and other elements
which are described in my article as above:


215

Fig 253: Seated figure from Vienne, St Andr le Bas, Burgundy

ig 254: Seated figure from Charlieu, 12thc, Burgundy


216

On the right of the damaged Charlieu sculpture above, the remains of cintamani on the
clothing of a second figure, (now obliterated) can just be made out.

Among many sculptures on the faade of the church at Bourg-Argental, Loire, this seated
saint is the only figure with cintamani:

Fig 255: Seated figure from Bourg-Argental, 12thc, Loire

At Avallon, in Burgundy, there is a pair of pilasters to left and right of the entrance to the
Cathedral where the triple dot motif is in evidence:


217

Fig 256: Green Man from Avallon, 12thc, Burgundy

Not far away, at the Abbey of St Germain in Auxerre, is a 12th century roundel with a pair of
cintamani on each side of the bust of a woman holding a fruit:


218

Fig 257: Auxerre, St Germain, 12th century roundel

This sculpture was found in the town, in 1932 during works.

At La Charit-sur-Loire, cintamani are to be found both on the stockings (or boots) of one of
the Magi on the tympanum known as the Transfiguration, but also on the keyhole pattern
decorating the frieze:


219

Fig 258: Cintamani on of one of the Magi, 12thc, La Charit-sur-Loire,

Fig 258a: Cintamani on the frieze of the Transfiguration tympanum, 12thc,
La Charit-sur-Loire


220
In Romanesque Sculpture of the Pilgrimage Roads, 1923, Arthur Kingsley Porter makes
mention of the triple dot motif, including frequent references to garments with a border of
dots. (pp 152,158,164 and 283). On p.151 Porter writes, Such borders to garments hardly
appear in French sculpture before Gilbert (Gilabertus). They are, however, of much more
ancient origin, since they are found in the art of the Far East from a very early period. In a
footnote on that page, Porter comments, The motive of the three dots is as old as archaic
Greece and diffused from Persia to Ireland.

When he mentions archaic Greece, I wonder if Porter was really thinking of Campanian
ware?

On p.291, Porter writes, The peculiar ornament consisting of three perforated dots which we
find on the socks of the first Magus at La Charit reappears on the garment of The Church
(Ecclesia) in the St-Gilles tympanum of the Crucifixion. (Again, this is the only figure
among the hundreds carved on the faade of St Gilles displaying the triple-dot motif.)


221

Fig 259: Cintamani on the robe of Ecclesia on the Crucifixion tympanum,
St Gilles de Gard, 12thc,

Then, on p.300-301, At St J ouin de Marnes (1132) the garment of the St Peter is decorated
with a pattern formed of three perforated dots arranged to form a triangle


222

Figs 260, 260a & 260b: Cintamani on the cloaks of St John the Evangelist, St Paul, and
the Virgin Mary, St Jouin de Marnes, Deux-Svres

and the same motive reappears in a fragment of a lectern in the museum of Marseille. It is
perhaps the translation into stone of a motive which was already old in Irish manuscripts and
which still survive in Asia Minor rugs of the XVI century.

As already mentioned, Professor Parker indicated to me the presence of cintamani on a relief
carved for the cathedral at Parma by Bernardo Antelami in 1178.


223
Fig 261: Deposition by Bernardo Antelami, 1178, Parma Duomo

On Christs right there are a large number of cintamani on the clothing of the figures, and
similar but random dots on the slippers.


224
Fig 261a: Deposition by Bernardo Antelami, 1178, detail, Parma Duomo

I do not have a high definition slide of the other side (Christs left) but you can see cintamani
on Christs robe, which is being divided by the soldiers here:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/brunellobrunelli/Parma


225

Fig 261b: Deposition by Bernardo Antelami, 1178, detail of cintamani, Parma Duomo

The date of 1178 is interesting to me because it is so close to that of the Nazareth capitals. I
have looked at many other works by Antelami in Parma and in Fidenza without finding any
cintamani on any other of his works. However, it is likely that their presence on the
Deposition in 1178 influenced Bonanno in his sculptures on the doors at Pisa in 1180.

Miguel Martin, from the Circulo Romanico,
http://www.circuloromanico.com/foro_club_del_romanico/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=127 ,
sent me the photographs of cintamani by Raimundo Escmez on Spanish sculpture from
Carrion de los Condes, Palencia, Lugo in Galicia and Segovia (Church of SS J usto and
Pastor):


226

Fig 262: Carrion de los Condes, Palencia, 1170-80, cintamani on cloaks

There seem to be large cintamani between the Carrion figures, as well as the small ones on
their cloaks. I was slightly reminded of the seated figure at Charlieu, Burgundy, Fig 254.

Fig 263: Cintamani on the halo of Christ in Majesty, c.1200
Lugo, Cathedral of St Maria, Galicia


227

Fig 264: Cintamani on the clothes of a saint, Segovia,
Church of SS Justo and Pastor, probably 13thc

(Photograph by Raimundo Escmez)


228

Fig 265: The Virgin Mary, early 12thc., Tympanum of Sainte Foy, Conques

The Virgin Mary, on the tympanum of Sainte Foy, Conques, probably dates from a
generation earlier. The design on the cloak of Christ in Majesty, also in dark blue on lighter
blue, is similar, but does not have the triple-dot decoration.

Where cintamani can be seen on stone sculpture (though not a frequent usage), there does not
seem to be a specific reason for their use. None of the persons depicted whose clothes are
thus decorated are less than holy or well-to-do, but this is true of most of the figures on these
sculptures. We have cintamani on J esus, on St Peter, on two of the Evangelists, on one of the
Magi, on certain kings and holy women. Perhaps the cintamani are used to distinguish these
important personages from others, rather than to indicate any particular meaning. I have not
found cintamani associated with any marginal sculptures.

WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON INDIAN MINIATURES

It is generally thought, as I have mentioned, that cintamani started in Buddhist India but, in
the context of Indian art, I have only found them on this box from Nepal:


229

Fig 266: Cover for a Pancaraksa Tantra cover, 12th-13thc, Nepal, Muse Guimet, Paris

on this modern box painted with figures clearly derived from paintings such as the miniature
below:

Fig 266a: Cintamani on a ladys skirt, modern box decorated in traditional style


230

Fig 266b: Cintamani on a ladys skirt, modern box decorated in traditional style

and on miniatures of the Persian-influenced Mughal period, 16th17th centuries. One might
have expected them to be of the large, clustered berry or pearl style, but I have found them to
be more Western in appearance.


231

Figs 267 & 267a: Cintamani on a ladys shawl, Rajasthan, 16th-17hc (reproduction on
fabric)

There are large triple dots on the border, as well as on the shawl of the female figure.


232

Fig 268: Cintamani as blossom on Krishnas tree, Rajasthan, 16th-17hc.

WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON MODERN RUSSIAN BOXES

Russian lacquer boxes made chiefly for the tourist trade, derive from the icon-painting
tradition, and are inspired by the Central Asian folk art of the old Russian empire. They have
been produced in Russia since the late 18th century. I found cintamani on two of the three in
my collection:


233

Figs 270 & 270a: Cintamani among daisy-style flowers on the skirt of a princess,
modern Russian lacquer box

Here we have the sub-group combination of triple dots among daisy-like flowers, to which I
have already referred.

WESTERN-STYLE CINTAMANI ON MODERN NETSUKE

I have noted the difference between Eastern cintamani where they have a Buddhist
significance and appear as large mistletoe berries, with or without tiger stripes or lips, and in
the West, where they tend to be smaller, neater and simpler. However, in a surprising turn-
around, these 18thc-19thc century J apanese ivory Netsuke (now in Budapest) seem to be
decorated with Western-style cintamani.


234

Fig 271: Cintamani on the clothing of Japanese Netsuke, Gyrgy Rath Museum, 18
th
-
19thc, Budapest

Fig 271a: Cintamani on the clothing of Japanese Netsuke, Gyrgy Rath Museum, 18
th
-
19thc, Budapest

These photographs are on Flickr and are by Curious Expeditions


235

Fig 271b: Cintamani on the clothing of Japanese Netsuke, Asian Art Museum, San
Francisco

ART IN THE MELTING-POT OF EAST-WEST ENCOUNTERS

The movement of the cintamani motif, whether from the Roman Empire in the West to the
Buddhist East, or the other way around, seems to have made a circular journey in a way that
mirrors the dissemination of the Three Hares design. In both cases the image would
appear to have travelled along the silk routes, sometimes on textiles or other media, and at
about the same periods of history. The importation of luxury goods from East to West from
the sixth century seems to have brought such items into circulation, whether as merchandise
or as prestigious gifts, and those that were admired became influential in the proliferation of
these motifs. In the Romanesque period, what began as a trickle increased with the
importation by returning crusaders of Eastern textiles and fine artifacts, often with relics.
These relics were sometimes wrapped in beautiful silks which themselves became objects of
veneration to be conserved in Cathedral treasuries. As already mentioned, I have assembled
a collection of these here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1335393@N20/

and will be grateful for additions. Very few of these examples are decorated with cintamani,
but the preponderance of Sassanian motifs leaves one in no doubt about their influence on
Romanesque art, and in particular, on sculpture.


236

In fact, Byzantine and Sassanian designs based on images from Mesopotamia, Egypt,
Assyria and other countries of antiquity were influential on the textile industry of the Far
East as well as on the art of the West.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS THUS FAR: CINTAMANI ON UNCONNECTED
ARTEFACTS THE MOTIF MAY APPEAR SPONTANEOUSLY

The simple triple-dot motif may have been invented spontaneously in different places and
times, unconnected to each other in any way. Indeed, cave men may have poked three
fingers in the ashes of their fires and made triple-dot patterns on cave walls;

For example, I do not believe that there is any connection between the triangulated dots on
the faces of Christ, St Michael and companions on these Romanesque frescos from the Bo
Valley, Catalonia:

Figs 272 & 273: Frescos from the Bo Valley, Catalonia


237

Fig 274: S Maria de Tall, Catalonia, consecrated 1123
(photograph sent by Miguel Martin, Circulo Romanico)

and those on these Mayan images:

Fig 275: Cintamani on the clothing of Hunaphu and on Mayan heads


238

Fig 276: Cintamani on the border of a Mayan vase

The pictures are from: A fishy story by J ustin Kerr: http://www.mayavase.com/fishy.html

Nor do I see any connection between the triple dot motifs on this bone idol from Phoenicia:


239

Fig 277: Cintamani on the sleeves of a bone idol, Phoenicia, 6
th
-5thc BC, Louvre

or (for example) the similar decoration on the bone buttons, fig.157, or this Roman 3rd c
bone knife handle:


240

Fig 278: Cintamani on a Roman 3rd c bone knife handle, private collection

or the triangulated dots on these shields:

Fig 279: Cintamani on a series of shields, representing ermine.

The motif has also been used as a tattoo mark for many centuries and over a wide
geographical area, according to this article:

http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Three-Dots-Tattoo

A tattoo of this kind was observed by one of my sons at Bergerac airport in July 2009 on the
hand of a Dutch woman, between thumb & forefinger, the area known as the snuffbox, just
as explained in the article.

This is an unfinished project, so my summing-up of the evidence can only be based on what I
have seen (usually in books or online). The discovery of a single new object could throw a


241
different light on any of my suppositions. What I believe so far, is that some examples of
Western style cintamani are connected to others and it is likely that some examples after
the 2ndc are linked by travel in either direction along the Silk Routes. It is possible that
there is a connection between the triple-dot motif on Etruscan frescoes and on Hellenic
pottery in Southern Italy a little later. The motif may have arrived in Southern Italy via
Thracian colonists since it can be seen on some Thracian artifacts of a slightly earlier date.
The connection between Roman, Byzantine and Sassanian silver of 4thc-8thc is likely, and
the motif seems to have been exchanged between the cultures. It is possible that the Triratna
motif (see Note, below) in the 1st century, evolved into the Eastern-style cintamani, and
reached Persia by way of silk soon afterwards. It is also possible that silk with the simpler,
Western-style cintamani was imported by Romans, hence its appearance on clothing,
curtains and artifacts as seen on the Projecta Casket.

Cintamani in Crusader art is seen on some icons and frescos, and has been amply explored
by Folda (see Bibliography). This would surely have come via Byzantine artifacts and
imports. Diplomatic and princely gifts, loot and returning Crusaders were certainly
responsible for the renewal of the motif in Christian Europe from the early Romanesque
period. Such items were often conserved both with relics, and as relics themselves, in the
treasuries of Western Cathedrals and later, in museums all over the world.

The motif seems to have returned to fashion increasingly from the 10th century, appearing in
various media of which manuscripts, enamels and sculpture were either more favoured or
better preserved. Cintamani can also be found in smaller quantities on fresco and, very
occasionally, on ivory.

After the middle ages, apart from the Ottoman textiles, the triple-dot pattern disappears quite
rapidly in the West as more sophisticated methods of artistic production are disseminated and
a wider decorative repertoire appears, particularly in the context of textiles.

That cintamani were originally invented in just one place and dispersed from there is
unlikely. It is more probable that they are what might be called an "aesthetic archetype", a
design that is at once simple, yet aesthetically pleasing, easy to produce in a very wide range
of media and amenable to considerable elaboration when on a larger scale. Thus it tends to
spring up spontaneously in unconnected locations, and catch on very rapidly where there is
contact, but can then be quite readily superseded by an evolving aesthetic. In this it can be
compared with the ringed dot motif, which can sometimes be found with it or within it.

What is unconnected, and where there is a tenuous connection remains a fascinating area for
further study.

NB, my thanks to Tim Dawson of Levantia, who gave me some of the above observations.


242

NOTE

It has been suggested that cintamani began in India, where Buddhism originated. The only
evidence I have been able to find to support this, on any artifact, are the 1st century
Gandharan Triratna illustrated below. (Triratna is a Sanskrit word meaning three
jewels.) Any other mention of cintamani (however it is spelt) in an Indian context proves to
have nothing to do with the three-dot design apart from the fact that the word is also Sanskrit
in origin.

Fig 280: Triratna, on Buddhas Fig 281: Triratna, Gandharan stucco,
footprint, Gandharan, now in Tokyo 1stc, Kabul Museum


243

Fig 282: Worship of Triratna, Fig 283: Worship of Triratna, Kushan,
Gandharan stucco, 1stc. 2ndc.

The precious jewel motif may be represented, probably as pure decoration, on these stucco
lions which are also embellished with Western-style cintamani on this piece of architectural
decoration from the Bactrian palace at Termez, now in Uzbekistan:

Fig 284: Cintamani on lions, Bactrian stucco, 11th-12th centuries, Termez


244
Thus it can be seen that the motif lingered along the Silk Route in Central Asia in an
interesting synthesis of East and West combined, well into the Romanesque period, on a
building of the highest importance at the very crossroads of Eastern and Western
civilizations.

I append my prcis of an article on Buddhism and Its Spread Along the Silk Road from:

http://www.silk-road.com/artl/buddhism.shtml

According to legend, the Buddha lived in northern India in the 6th century BC. The Indian
King Ashoka (273-232 BC), demonstrated his conversion to Buddhism by promulgating the
religion across India. Ashoka's empire extended to the northwestern borders of the Punjab.
The Buddhist monks were free to move throughout the whole area. As a result, the Buddhist
community probably had reached the Hellenized neighbour, the Kushan/Bactrian kingdom,
by the end of Ashoka's reign.

It is not certain when Buddhism reached China, but with the Silk Road opened in the second
century BC, missionaries and pilgrims began to travel between China, Central Asia and
India.

The Kushans dominated the areas of Hindu Kush into Kabul, Gandhara, northern Pakistan
and north-western India. They controlled the trade between India, China, Parthia and the
Roman Empire. This provided an ideal medium for the further spread of Buddhism. From the
2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD, Buddhism gradually developed in northwestern
India. Under the influence of the great Kushan ruler, Kanishak who reigned from 144-172,
Gandhara, a Buddhist settlement, flourished and created a distinctive Graeco-Buddhist art
form, which affected the arts in Central Asia and eastward in the first four centuries of our
era.

Buddhist centers were expanded. Bamiyan, 240 kilometers northwest of Kabul, became one
of the greatest Buddhist monastic communities in all Central Asia by the 4th century. With
its strategic location at the intersection of roads to Persia, India, and China, it developed an
art style with a fusion of Iranian, Indian, Gandharan and local style into an independent mode
of its own. This style of Buddhist art travelled eastward and was quickly adopted at Kizil,
Xinjiang and ultimately Dunhuang. Buddhism reached the height of its power in the 8th and
9th centuries in Afghanistan before it fell to the Arabs.

The decline of Buddhism along the Silk Road was due to the collapse of the Tang Dynasty in
the East and the invasion of Arabs in the West. The conversion to Islam started in the 8th
century in Central Asia. Since Islam condemned the iconography, most of the Buddhist
statues and wall-paintings were damaged or destroyed. Buddhist temples and stupas were
abandoned and buried beneath the sand.


245
It is impossible to talk about Buddhism without mentioning its profound impact on the
development of Central Asian art. It is through those artworks that a fusion of eastern and
western cultures was demonstrated. The art of Buddhism left the world the most powerful
and enduring monuments along the Silk Road, and among them, some of the most precious
Buddhist sculptures, paintings and murals. Furthermore the contact with the Hellenized
Gandharan culture resulted in the development of a new art form, the Buddha statue,
sometimes referred to as a Buddha image. Before Buddhism reached Gandhara in the 3rd
century BC, there had been no representation of the Buddha, and it was in the Gandharan
culture that the use of Buddha images had begun. The earliest Buddha images resembled the
Greek god Apollo. The Gandhara style representing a union of classical, Indian, and Iranian
elements continued in Afghanistan and the neighboring regions throughout most of the first
millennium until the end of the 8th century.

ADDENDA some images collected on a recent visit to Mongolia:

I had hoped to see more evidence of cintamani surviving in Mongolia from the period
of the Silk Road. These are the only images I was able to find during my short visit:

Figs 285 & 286: Mongolian noblewomans head-dress with cintamani, Chaba, wife of
Kublai Khan, Sketch in National Museum of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar


246

Fig 287: Precious jewel cintamani decoration in a Buddhist chapel,
Bogd Khans Winter Palace, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 20th c


247

Fig 288: Cintamani on a modern banner, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

An oddment found on a web site (Encyclopaedia Britannica):


248

Fig 289: Oribe ware teapot with cintamani, Japanese, 17th c, Seattle Art Museum,
Washington

Julianna Lees, Montagrier, May 2012

(To be continued)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bamm, Peter, "The Kingdoms of Christ" Thames and Hudson, 1959

Baltrusaitis Jurgis, Le Moyen Age Fantastique, Antiquits et Exotismes dans lart
Gothique, Flammarion, paperback, 1989

Beckwith, John, "The Art of Constantinople, an Introduction to Byzantine Art,
Phaidon, 1961

Dodwell, C R, The Pictorial Arts of the West 800-1200 Yale UP, 1993

Folda, Jaroslav Crusader Art, the Art of the Crusaders in the Holy Land 1099-1291
Lund Humphries, 2008


249

Folda, Jaroslav An Icon of the Crucifixion and the Nativity at Sinai: investigating the
Pictorial Language of its Ornamental Vocabulary: Chrysography, Pearl-dot Haloes,
and intemani published in In Laudem Hierosolymitani, Ashgate, 2007 pp 170- 171

Grabar, A, Byzantium, Thames & Hudson, 1966

Jenkins, D, The Cambridge History of Western Textiles, CUP, 2003

Lasko, Peter, Ars Sacra: 800-1200 Penguin Books, 1972

Leader-Newby, R E, Silver & Society in late antiquity: functions and meaning in silver
plate, Ashgate, 2004

Parker, Elizabeth C. The Cloisters Cross, article in GESTA, 2009

Porter, Arthur Kingsley, Romanesque Sculpture of the Pilgrimage Roads Boston,
Marshall Jones, 1923

Taylor, Francis Henry, Mediaeval Textiles and Romanesque Sculpture article in the
Bulletin of the Pennsylvania Museum no.23 vol. 120, April 1928

Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily by A D Trendall, Thames and Hudson,
1989

Trilling, James, The Language of Ornament, Thames & Hudson, 2001

Trilling, James, Ornament a Modern Perspective, University of Washington Press,
2003

Walter, C, The Warrior Saints in Byzantine Art and Tradition, Ashgate, 2003

Various online magazine articles and web sites, in particular,

Compareti, Matteo, Iranian elements in Kasmir and Tibet:
http://www.transoxiana.org/14/compareti_iranian_elements_kashmir.html

Feltham, Heleanor B, University of NSW, November 2009:
Justinian and the International Silk Trade:
http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp194_justinian_silk.pdf


250
Meister, by Michael W. The Pearl Roundel in Chinese Textile Design The
Smithsonian Institution and Regents of the University of Michigan, 1970

Muthesius, Anna, "Silks and Saints: the Rider and Peacock Silks from the relics of St
Cuthbert" on p.343-366 of "St Cuthbert, his world and his community" by Gerald
Bonner et al., Boydell, 1995

Professor Daryaees site:
http://www.humanities.uci.edu/sasanika/index.html

Soudavar, Abololala, on iconography in Sassanian art
http://www.soudavar.com/Sasanian%20Vocab%20Syntx%20-IA-2.pdf

Xinru, Liu, Silks and Religions in Eurasia, c. AD 600-1200:
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/support/reading_7_2.pdf

Various articles on the sites of The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies:
http://www.cais-soas.com

of Saudi Aramco World
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/198804/the.silk.roads-a.history.htm
by Paul Lunde a splendid, concise history

and of Transoxiana:
http://www.transoxiana.org

Glossary

bell-krater large vase like an inverted bell with a pair of handles

volute-krater large vase with handles that resemble the volutes of a capital

kantharos two-handled drinking vessel

lebes gamikos - wedding vase

lekanis offerings dish with a large, flat lid, usually with a knob

lekythos oil flask, usually tall and slim with one handle

naiskos small funereal temple


251
patera broad, shallow dish for offerings of food or drink

phiale libation bowl

rhyton animal-headed jug

sakkos female cap to cover most of the hair

situla - bucket

skyphos - two-handled drinking vessel

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The Green Man of Cercles

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