Mahamud. READING OF A BATTERY 
Mahamud. Font
especially Burgos is a province rich in Romanesque baptismal fonts. There are about 300 recorded a variety of forms and qualities, among which includes magnificent pieces as the famous Road Redecilla with architectural decoration, the CABI, Cojobar and Villamiel of Muñó or the Cathedral of Burgos, and more Gothic Romance, and other less sophisticated but very curious to your decor, such as Barbadillo del Mercado, Rosales ...
Yet Mahamud stack is one of the best thanks to its rich and complex sculptural program. Its iconography can be interpreted, as some authors have done lately (you have to cite the work of Garbiñe Bilbao Burgos People's University) in conjunction with the sacrament for which it serves.
The scenes that are depicted are, from left to right, the following:
"Original Sin: Adam, a tree with the serpent, Eve
-San Pedro with the keys
-Fish-Scene
festive: Rabelo, woman tambourine square dancer ...
-scene with several characters that have been interpreted as the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, quite justifiably, is Joseph, with three doves symbol of the purity of Mary (prefigured in Lev 12) and Mary, crowned, holding the child against the elderly Simeon and the altar.
The reading is usually given to the set is based on the parallel drawn by medieval authors between the figures of Adam and Eve, and Mary and Jesus. According to them, if Adam is the one who introduces sin and Eve man who leads him to, Jesus Christ the new Adam, who redeems humanity from sin, and Mary the new Eve who crushes the serpent's head ( Gen 3.15: Inimicitias you ponam inter ipsum et mulierem [...] conteret caput tuum ), assimilated from this time the evil one (in fact, this stack as in many others, the snake around the bases of the piece and is crushed by a glass). Adam, through Eve's disobedience, sin entered man and Jesus, through Mary's submission to God, absolves him.
Mahamud. Original Sin
Baptism is the sacrament intended to revive the man and wash the stain of original sin is thus the means by which it is effective in men the role of Christ as the new Adam. Therefore, the surface of the baptismal font is the perfect place to show this relationship.
This is what seems to have wanted to do in Mahamud, where opposed to the scene of Original Sin (Adam, Eva), which has been interpreted quite justifiably as the Presentation of Jesus (Mary, Jesus): ie, "baptism" of Christ in Jewish law. If the salvific role of Christ is most evident in scenes such as the Crucifixion, depicted in turn stack Báscones Water, the scene of the Presentation, prefiguring the latter, may be chosen to highlight the role of "new Eve by Mary presents Jesus to Simeon has, in any case, it also makes sense that Christ is concerned, since it is Simeon who acknowledges Christ as Savior (Luke 2.30: viderunt tuum Salutare oculi mei).
Mahamud. Presentation.
From left to right: Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Simeon, altar remain
other three scenes. First is an isolated figure of St. Peter with the keys of the Kingdom of God, symbolizing the Church (the famous quote from Matthew 16.18: tu es Petrus et super hanc ecclesiam meam petram aedificabo ). Then a big fish. Although there is an all too common in the Romanesque (present, for example, Losa Hill), his interpretation seems very difficult because that the representation of Christ as ICHTHUS ( Iesous Theou HUIOS Christos Soter ) is one of the earliest symbols of Christianity.
Mahamud. San Pedro and fish remains a scene with several musicians and a dancer. In isolation these representations are often seen as a symbol of the sins of debauchery and lust. However, some authors have appreciated the gesture of the dancing here is more content, more modest than in these cases. Given the double negative and positive symbolism that many elements ( lion ...) were in the Romanesque, and the musicians also be used to glorify God in the great Maiestas Domini covers churches, does not seem unreasonable to think that this delegation is here more a symbol of celebration of sin. Could represent the joy of the Christian community for their salvation. Moreover, not all the characters carry musical instruments, some seem to simply carry the tools of their trades, which seems to support this second thesis of the whole community festival.
Mahamud. festive scene
complete reading of the stack would then as follows:
"Humanity is tainted with sin by Adam's error induced by Eva (Original Sin) . But by Church (San Pedro) founded by Christ (fish) , to the jubilation of the whole community (party scene) free from sin is reborn with the new Adam brought by Mary (Presentation of Jesus) "
Or, if we do not meet the reading of the party scene ,
"Humanity is tainted with sin by the error of Adam, induced by Eva (Original Sin) . But by Church (San Pedro) founded by Christ (fish) , sins (party scene) redeemed through baptism, rebirth instituted by the new Adam brought by Mary (Presentation of Jesus) "
Neither seems too preposterous versions, in any case, although this interpretation is not correct (it is in any case, gaps, what represent the heads sticking out behind the other characters?) What seems clear is that the succession of scenes is not free, and we face the work, although slightly rough exceptionally beautiful, well located within an impressive Gothic church, which despite being back is still in its oldest parts (XIII century) many memories of the Romanesque and a certain charm for those who love this style. In addition, the altarpieces platerescos and Romanists, etc. are excellent, but that's another story ...
Mahamud. Church. Main entrance
Mahamud. Church. Foot home (XIII century)
Bonita
