“Visigothic Art”: Santa Maria Quintanilla de la Viñas

Complicated by restoration in the ninth or tenth century, dating proves especially tricky at Santa Maria Quintanilla de la Vinas.  Furthermore, a later re-building incorporated the original apse and transept, preserving only some of its captivating reliefs in situ. 

The exterior displays friezes (here and here) and monograms (here, here, and a third, of which I have not found an image).

The archway leading into the chancel area displays carving: on the left impost, Luna (of which I cannot find a sutiable image), and on the right impost, Sol, both in medallions held aloft by angels.  The upper frame of the Sol relief bears a dedicatory inscription:

OC EXIGUUM EXIGUA OFF[ERT] DO[MINA] FLAMMOLA VOTUM D[EI]

FLAMOMOLA, THE LEAST OF THE LEAST, MAKES THIS PROMISED OFFERING TO GOD.

The arch itself displays birds and clusters of grapes, appropriate for their eucharistic symbolism.  A flashback to imagery of birds and grapes could work well here.

The church also preserves several relieves not in situ: a figure flanked by angels; and a figure holding a cross-staff also flanked by angels and displayed with two figures holding books.

The fragmentation and displacement of these reliefs render the meaningful teaching and learning of this church a challenge.  A flashback to representations of the Crucifixion from the Holy Land could here help explain the representation of Sol and Luna framing the space of the Eucharist.  The upper panel of the Barberini Diptych (note the signs for the sun and the moon) offers a useful comparandum for the relief of the figure bearing the cross-staff, especially since early Byzantine diptychs will offer useful comparanda when we examine some Asturian reliefs. 

One Spanish sites has medium-size photos:  Iglesia de Santa Maria en Quintanilla de la Vinas (Burgos).  Turismo prerromanico offers some information for careful sifting.  The best images, however, come from publications.