THE STONEMASONS OF GERMANY.
the sicn of the fiery cross
;
in like
'
167
manner the smiths sent a hammer
or a nail from one
shop to another before holding their meetings,^ and the shoemakers the key of their treasury .^
In all this we find no trace of mysticism or of philosophy, and I will now mention the only
remaining evidence from which the existence of a speculative science, at this remote era,
has been inferred.
In the Cathedral of "Wiirzburg two pillars stand within the buUding, which at some
Their
They are of peculiar construction.
period formed a part of the original porch.
names, Jachin and Boaz, suggest a derivation from the celebrated pillars at the entrance
of King Solomon's Temple, with which, however, their architectural form in no way correJachin is composed of two series of eight columns; the eight springing from
sponds.
the capital extend to the centre, and are there curved and joined two and two, so as to
form in reality only four U-shaped columns; the same applies to the four whose eight
At the bends
on the base.
open ends
rest
interlaced
fillet
or band.
of the opposing U's, the pillar is
Boaz consists of two U's
at the top
and two
completed by an
and these
at the base,
are joined by two O's of equal length, so that this pillar consists of apparently three series
sketch of these will
The names are engraved on the capitals.
of four columns each.
A
A counterpart of Jachin is to be found in Bamberg
be found in Steinbrenner, p. 76.
Boaz in the New Market Church of Merseburg; and various ornamental
Cathedral, and one of
forms in other buildings resemble these columns in one or more respects.^ It is obvious that
these curious
monuments
intended to represent
—
man
mystical interpretations; they may be
the Trinity (three in one), or, in fact, almost
soul),
are suggestive of
(body and
many
—
numberless hidden meanings or they may simply
anything a little ingenuity will discover
be the result of the inventive fancy of some skilful workman. Their names merely prove
that the masons were acquainted with that part of the Old Testament most interesting to
them
nnusual.
may have
suggested the idea of constructing something
"
Of Church symbolism, Stiegli G