SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

10 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
also be very close in date to Gaut's series. But the
presence of beading in the ribbons, together with certain
more elaborate tricks of interlace, suggests that we are on
the threshold of the Mammen style which in the Isle of
Man reaches its heights on the two Kirk Braddan crosses,
135 (108) and 136 (109)' It is interesting that one of
these four crosses, Kirk Michael 126 (100), bears human
and animal figures not dissimilar to those found on the
Sandulf cross at Andreas 131 (103), mentioned above.
Such scenes, which are of fairly frequent occurrence, are
difficult to interpret. Certain tales from Norse mythology
and legend can almost certainly be identified. Thus
scenes from the Sigurd cycle can be seen at Jurby II9
(93), Malew 120 (94). Andreas 121 (95) and on the slab
from Ramsey, now Maughold 122 (96). Odin occurs on
the fragmentary slab Andreas 128 (102) and possibly
Jurby 125 (98), and it is conceivable that Heimdall occurs,
blowing his horn to summon the gods before Ragnarok,
on Jurby 127 (99). Certain definite Christian symbols
(other than the cross itself) do, of course, appear: Christ,
for example, is portrayed crucified on Kirk Michael 129
(101). But such identifiable scenes and representations
are rare and the significance of many of the creatures
and scenes portrayed is obscure. Sometimes we may
guess at the meaning of a motif, but our guesses may be
far away from the original sense. Thus it might be
possible to identify the riders on Andreas 131 (103) and
Kirk Michael 132 (105) as the men commemorated by
the stones, but this is pure hypothesis. It is possible that
Thor is represented on Bride 124 (97), as Kermode
suggested, but this interpretation no longer convinces.
Knowledge of Scandinavian symbolism in the Viking
colonies in the tenth century is tenuous and we cannot say
how many of the motifs, like the undoubtedly non­
Scandinavian hart-and-hound, are indigenous. We cannot
even be sure whether some of the scenes are Christian
or pagan.