Asp Emorroris /emorroris, haemorris/ width 9.8 cm, height in tha smaller part 5.1 cm, height in the long part 12.2 cm The text is traced back to Isidor /XII.IV.15/ who drew on the story by Solinus /27.32/ and enlarged upon it, adding to it the story of the asp that was present in the “Physiologus”…
Hydra /hydrus/ 10X6.1 cm The text repeats the description by Isidor /XII.IV. 22—23/ and is close to the text of ff.l6v. and 17. The miniature pictures a crocodile swallowing a hydra, but the crocodile on the miniature largely differs from the fantastic bristled-up animal drawn on ff.75 and 16 v. where it is shown lying…
The Hydra Relief. Church in Moissac. XII century
The Lizard Relief. Church in Saint-Denis. XII century Lizard /lacerta/ medallion 5.4 cm in diameter The text, which was borrowed from Isidor /XII. IV.34—35/, enumerates several kinds of lizards. Listed among them are salamandras, tritons and frogs. The early Latin versions of the “Physiologus” included the tale about the sunny lizard /saura/ in the chapter…
Salamandra /salamandra/ height 7.7 cm, width at the bottom 9.1 cm, width at the top 7.6 cm The enigmatic salamandra, which does not burn in fire, is the most poisonous of all creatures. Its poison penetrates into growing fruits and contaminates water. Upon eating a fruit from a tree poisoned by the salamandra a man…
The Salamandra Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 55
The Salamandra Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 53 v.
The Scitalis Relief. Church portal in Chadenac. XII century
Scitalis /scitalis/ 10.1 X5.2 cm The text of the bestiary and that of Pseudo-Hugh /11.43/ is a borrowing from Isidor /XII.IV.19/ who qouted Lukan /Pharsalia, IX, 717/ and repeated Solinus /27.29/. The scitalis is distinguished for the beauty of its spotty skin. It never follows its prey but waits until the prey, charmed by its…
Amphisbaena /amphisbaena, amphivena/ medallion 5.7 cm in diameter The text is taken from Isidor /XII.IV.20/ who quoted Lucan /Pharsalia, IX.719/ and used the description by Pliny /VIII.23.35/. The amphisbaena has two heads: one where it belongs and the other in the tail-end. This enbles it to move in any direction without turning back. Its eyes…
The Amphisbaena Capital. Church Saint-Hilaire, Melle. XII century
Boa /boa/ 10.1 X2 cm The text about the boa was taken from Isidor /XII. IV.28/ drawing on the information provided by Pliny /VIII.14.I4/. The same text is adhered to by Pseudo-Hugh /111.45/ and Albert the Great /XXV. 11.14/. The boa habitates in Italy, it follows herds of cattle and feeds on cow milk.
Jaculus /jaculus/ 10X1.8 cm The text about the jaculus, the snake jumping down from a tree on animals passing by, was taken from Isidor /XII.IV.29/ who used the writings by Pliny /VIII.23.35/ and Aelian /VI.18/ and quoted Lucan /Pharsalia, 18.720/. It is repeated by Pseudo-Hugh /111.46/ and Albert the Great /XXV.II.32/.
Snake siren /sirena serpens/ 10×3 cm The text about the syren, the winged Arabian snake moving faster than a horse, was borrowed from Isidore /XII.IV.29/. Its venom is so strong that a man dies before he feels pain. The same story is repeated by Pseudo-Hugh /III.47/ and Albert the Great /XXV.II.51/. The painter of all…
The Jaculus Relief. Column of cloister in Elne. XII century
Seps and Dipsa /seps et dipsa/ 10X3.2 cm The text, which includes quotations from Lucan, repeats the story by Isidor /XII.IV.31 —32/ and Albert the Great /XXV.II.21.52/. The venom of the seps penetrates right into the bones of a man bit by the snake, and the venom of the dipsa works so instantly that the…
Hypnale /hypnalis/ 10.3X3.7 cm The text is taken from Isidor /XII.IV.13—14/. This snake is in the same species with the dipsa. A person bit by the hypnale falls asleep and then dies. This was how Cleopatra died. The hypnal is mentioned by Pseudo-Hugh /11.30/, Albert the Great /XXV.II.33/ and Philippe de Thatin in the section…
The Seps Relief. XII century Paris. The Louvre.
Saura — Sunlizard Miniature. Manus — cript of the LPL.Lat.Q.v .III, N 1, f. 49 Saura-Sunlizard /saura/ 10×2.5 cm The tale of the sunny lizard originated from the Greek “Physiologus”. As it grows old, the lizard creeps out through a chink in a fence overlooking the east. Upon turning its blind eyes to the rising…
The text about the stellio-triton is taken from Isidore /XII.IV.38/. Its skin is covered with star-like spots. Its appearance alone gets the scorpion stunned. Referring to Pliny and Avicenna, Albert the Great /XXV.II.48/ says that the antidote for the stellio’s poison is the meat of a scorpion.
The text about the three “natures” of the serpent is traced back to Greek “Physiologus”, though it does not include the traditional quotation from the Gospel /Matthew, 10:16/, and in the bestiaries of the 12th century it is placed in the section about snakes in keeping with the zoological classification that was taking shape in…
The western coast of the Karelian Isthmus — famed for its picturesque landscape and mild climate — has been the Saint Petersburg Zone of Health Resorts since 1946. The pleasure of bathing in the waters of the Gulf of Finland, the splendid beaches, the pine forests with their pure and balmy air, the coastal terraces…
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens The Alvdalen porphyry vase. 1839
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens The Rossi walk
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens The Neva walk
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Main avenue
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Sculptor: P. Baratta. “Peace and Abundance”. 1722
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Small gates of the railings on the Neva side
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens The Swan Canal
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Upper Swan Bridge
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Statues adorning the walks
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Architects: Y. Velten and P. Yegorov The grille on the Neva side. 1784
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens View of the Coffee-house from the Fontanka River
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Architect:C. Rossi. The Coffee-house (the Rossi Pavilion). 1826
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Statues of the main avenue
Saint Petersburg. The Summer Gardens Autumn leaves
Moscow. The Red square. Day 9 –the 40th Anniversery of the Soviet Peoples Victory in the great Patriotic War 1941-1945/ 1985
The first chronicle inscription about Moscow dates back to 1147 when Suzdal Prince Juri Dolgoruki “founded the cornerstone of the city of Moscow in the mouth of the Neglinnaia River up the river Jauza”. The white-stone Moscow, as it is called from the ancient times for the colour of the stone walls and towers of…
It is hard to notice the moment when in enters the Volga, along the banks of which the constellation of the old Russian towns is situated. One of them is Uglich, which is the port of call of the ship on the way to the capital of the Russia. The ancient manuscripts recreate the events…
Petrozavodsk. In 1703 Peter the Great founded the iron-making and cannon-casting plants on the forest river Lososinka. Around them the Peter’s settlement has developed. Nowadays Petrozavodsk is an industrial and cultural center of the North-West of Russia. Having passed the system of rivers, reservoirs, lakes and assended the “staircase” of the Volgo-Balt lock, the ship…
The lake Ladoga. is for the first time mentioned in the chronicles of the 9th century. In those days had a Karellian name “sevo”, which means “an open swamp”. Actually, it would be more exact if this lake, which is the biggest in Europe fresh water reservoir, would be called the Ladoga Sea. We are…
The ship will cover more than 70 kilometers up the river and reach the Ladoga Lace, with gives source to the Neva river, carrying its swift waters into the Gult of Finland. 20 kilometers away from the river terminal there’s a settlement Ust-lzhora, situated on the right bank of the river. Here in 1240 the…
We’ve in Staint Petersburg. St. Petersburg, that was the name of the Russian capital up to 1914, appeared in the mouth of the Neva river to the order of Peter the Great. It opened the “window to Europe” for Russia. The city, famous for the unique architectural ensembles, museums, theatres, is the second largest (after…
Treasure Chamber of Human Genius Roaming around Saint Petersburg in winter, you are sure to find places where winter offers you something that is all of its own. The frozen channels, frost-covered bridges, and numerous snow-capped monuments and statues are full of especial charm. A walk in Saint Petersburg in winter will show you the…
Red Square Take a good look at the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin. Its buildings stand on a steep hill, washed at the foot by the Moskva River. Behind the turreted crenelated walls overlooking the bank, stand the cathedrals, palaces and bell-towers whose sky-piercing silhouette imparts a sunny grace. One begins sightseeing in Moscow, as…
The Lower Park. The monument to Peter the Great.
The Lower Park. The Sheaf fontain in front of the Monplaisir palace.