- Chapter Thirty-Seven -
usually occupies the centre of the head, Christ depicted wearing a loincloth or
long/short-sleeved robe, sometimes flanked by sponge-and spear-bearers (in the
manner of some metalwork plaques). Recurring scenes include representations of
the Last Judgement, David playing the lyre, St Michael weighing a soul, Saul, as well
as salvation themes such as David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions' den, Cain and
Abel, Jonah and the whale. An important aspect of Christianity was that it offered
individual hope of salvation through faith and action, baptism, communion, proper
burial, and the hope of resurrection.
It is clear that the early Christian monuments, many of which are now seen as
great artistic achievements, are great in variety and diverse in style; this is also true
for the sites, and the term 'Insular' has been applied in a non-ethnic sense to
encompass this diversity, a legacy which continues to inspire scholars and public
alike.
NOTES
1 The temple at Caerwent is late fourth-century in date. Evidence for Christianity here is in
the form of large numbers of east-west burials together with the discovery of an inscribed
chi-rho monogram on a flanged pewter bowl found associated with a collection of late
fourth-century vessels and interpreted as one of the vessels used in the early Christian
supper known as the agape (Boon 1992: 17).
2 It has been argued that this implies that a group of Christians had asked for a bishop, and
that Ninian was sent by the sub-Roman diocese of Carlisle. Recent excavations have
unearthed evidence for the early Northumbrian monastery, ascribed to the period
C.73o-836 and later. Indirect evidence from these excavations has also been taken to
support the possibility of the presence of a lime-washed building on the crown of the hill
in the fifth-century period of activity on the site.
3 Ecclesia, locus, monasterium, podum, llog (Latin locus), llano
4 It has been pointed out that the word manach for monk is used equally of a layman or
anyone to whom the church provided pastoral care, and from whom tithes were received
(Sharpe 1992).
Certainly in the early days of Christianity, as recorded by Irenaeus of Lyons, many
'believed in Christ without the benefit of writing and ink, having salvation in their hearts
through the Holy Spirit' (Irenaeus, Adversus Haeres III. 4).
6 The Irish term dairthech or 'oakhouse' is used. Adomnan describes the use of large
timbers from the mainland for construction and repair work at Iona, where excavations
have revealed postholes and wooden architectural elements (Barber 1981j Karkov 1991:
32-3)·
7 Bishop Tirechan, writing in the second half of the seventh century, describes St Patrick's
supposed missionary work in Ireland, and records the names of the churches he founded,
and of the priests and bishops installed, as well as the effects of plague on the church
(Sharpe 1992: 87).
8 For Wales, Nash-Williams (1950) produced a classification and general chronology of the
monuments which still forms the basis of their study today - Group I inscribed stones
(fifth to seventh century), Group II cross-marked stones (seventh to ninth century), and
Group III cross-slabs and freestanding crosses (ninth to thirteenth century). This classifi-
cation has now been amplified by Gwyn Thomas's addition of new classes for the Royal
Commission Inventory of the Early Christian Monuments of Glamorgan (though this has