Unity, Wholeness, and Continuity in the Monadic Form

In the Middle Ages the teachings of Pythagoras were well respected and studied in both the Western and Byzantine-Arab parts of the world. Priya Hemenway, author of The Secret Code, wrote that “the Pythagoreans believed that nothing exists without a centre around which it revolves. The centre is the source and it is beyond understanding, it is unknowable, but like a seed, the centre will expand and will fulfil itself as a circle.”[1] This is the essence of the Pythagorean monad, the basis for forms used in the measurement known as the Divine Proportion. The term monad derives from either the Greek menein (to be stable) or monas (oneness) and has become known as a symbol for The Seed, Essence, The Builder, Foundation, and Unity.[2] Medieval thinkers like Abbot Suger valued the monad for its moral symbolism in relation to the finding of one’s self or perhaps God. This belief or moral idea originates as a “seedling” and grows into a full-fledged circle as the idea grows within the individual or spreads to others. Medieval architects used this form in the construction of many works of architecture during both ancient and medieval times hoping the building would be built on a foundation of wholeness, unity, or continuity. In this post I will examine two works of architecture from varying time periods (the Pantheon and Notre Dame Chartres) to better understand the development of the monad and the monad’s possible symbolic qualities at each of the sites.

A circle is synonymous with unity or continuity, but the monad differs as it is a circle encompassing a dot or smaller circle. This smaller model is the seed, the place in which the circle grows from. This point is constant and remains in place and size as the circle grows.

Monad

 Hadrian’s Pantheon of the 2^nd century CE is a product of the Pythagorean monad. Plato’s Timeaus, which echoes the ideologies of Pythagoras, was a highly read source during the time and likely where Hadrian pulled inspiration for his design.[3] The structure is aligned with the four cardinal directions, is circular with a central axis, and features an oculus which in this case, serves as the seed of the monad. The oculus was created in homage to Apollo, the god of the sun. Apollo’s symbol is the monad being that his name is loosely translated to “without multiplicity,” similar to that of the monad since it remains one circle no matter how many times it multiplies in size and layers.”[4] The twenty-eight ribs of the vault are a reference to the lunar calendar and the circular layout implies repetition and continuity in the months.[5] The sun (the oculus) and the moon (the ribs) placed within the monad represent the marriage of the two. This is not only implied in their shared placement within the monad, but also in the five registers which created the coffers in the dome. Five is the sum of two (the first female number) and three (the first male number) and is therefore their product after uniting.[6] The union of male/female and sun/moon in turn is a reference to the continuation of man and the cosmos.[7] In conclusion, the Pantheon’s monad is a religious reference to the god Apollo and a cosmological reference to the constant growing of the universe.

Dome/Monad of the Pantheon

Classical era structures like the Pantheon paved the way for medieval designs that wished to incorporate a monad with both religious and cosmological meaning. As polytheism faded to the rise of Christianity, the monad adopted Christ as the new seed in the Middle Ages. The school of Chartres studied the monad through the antique documents of Plato, taking into consideration the form’s cosmological and religious potential. Notre Dame Chartres (NDC) implemented the monad in the design of the rose windows. Dionysius of Areopagite, Dante, and Abbot Suger have all commented on the splendour and ecclesiastical symbolism of the light provided by the windows, but as that has been discussed in a previous post, I would like to stay focused on the monadic qualities of the West rose window.

NDC West Rose Window Monad

 In this image I have highlighted the seed of the monad in red which is also the image of Christ. The yellow and blue circles represent growth of the circle, and symbolically, the spreading of the Word of Christ. Being that Jesus is the son of God, His presence can also be interpreted as The Sun. As discussed in a previous post, the number twelve is present in the growing of the circle.[8] The Sun/Son rests on quatrefoil representing the four seasons and twelve refers to the twelve months of the year.[9] I believe the increasing circles of the monad represent the passing of the years, and in a biblical sense the passing of Christ’s Word over the years increasing the size of the Christian world.

Although I have only provided two examples in this post, the monad is found across the globe in buildings of both ancient and medieval construction. The monad is present in the floor plan of Dome of the Rock, Delphi, the Westminster Abbey Cosmati Pavement, the dome of Hagia Sophia, and many, many more historic sites. Pythagoras so keenly promoted this form not only for its symmetrical perfection and geometric simplicity, but because of the symbolic possibilities in its usage. The symbolic interpretation may have changed over time, but the underlying theme of growth, unity, and continuity remained as constant as the “seed” which is the essence of the monad.

 ~Emily

---

[1] Hemenway, Priya. "Pythagoras and the Mystery of Numbers." The Secret Code: The Mysterious Formula That Rules Art, Nature, and Science. [S.l.]: Evergreen, 2008. 51. Print.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Joost-Gaugier, Christine L. Measuring Heaven. Ithaca: Cornell University, 2006. 167-168.  Print.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Foster, Richard. Patterns of Thought: The Hidden Meaning of the Great Pavement of Westminster Abbey. London: Jonathan Cape, 1991. 155. Print.

[6] Joost-Gaugier, 167-168.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Miller, Malcolm B. Chartres Cathedral: The Medieval Stained Glass and Sculpture. London: Pitkin Pictorials, 1980. 92. Print.

[9] Lundy, Miranda. Sacred Geometry. New York: Walker &, 2001. 46-47. Print.

<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">Hyper Smash</a>

Notre-Dame de Chartres: A Cosmological Reading

Notre-Dame de Chartres: A Cosmological Reading

Sacred imagery within a church is meant to serve as the bible for the illiterate, illustrating not only religious iconography, but the Medieval cosmological opinion. These depictions were universally understood in both the scholarly and non-academic communities. This analysis is a cosmological discussion on the characteristics of the Notre-Dame de Chartres West Rose window and Labyrinth, allowing for both a cultural and scientific explanation of each feature.

The West rose window depicts the second coming of Christ, with Christ the judge sitting in the centre of a quatrefoil or cross with His five bleeding wounds. Christ is encircled by three rings of twelve. Each of the encircling rings build upon the story of the second coming. The inner ring, in what Chartres historian Malcolm Miller calls the ‘tips’ of the elliptical forms, depicts ‘eight angels placed in pairs between the four apocalyptic animals, representing the four evangelists,’ conveniently placed in the four cardinal directions.[1] The larger circles within the ellipses are Christ’s twelve apostles who are helping Christ judge of the twelve tribes.[2] The outer most ring consist of several illustrations, including angels carrying the instruments of Christ’s Passion, angels blowing trumpets to announce Judgement Day, and six scenes of resurrected souls waiting to be judged.[3] The numerological qualities of the window enhance the iconographic illustrations put in place by the Chartres artists. The numbers in the pattern have adopted Christian meaning through the religious imagery displayed in each of the ‘petals’ of the rose, but cosmological interpretation must also be deliberated, especially when considering the numbers twelve and five. The numbers twelve and five are used to allude to the twelve apostles and Christ’s five wounds. The number twelve is representative of the months of the year, measured in astrological observations. Five is relatable to Aristotle’s five elements, including the impermeable aether. Considering the wounds of Christ and the elements as one in same is rather intriguing, perhaps making Christ the human representation of the world with a range of features (or elements) making Him a vision of perfection and balance.

Of the geometric forms, one of the most domineering shapes of the rose window is the star. This is vital because it is physical evidence of shared cosmological depiction between East and West, as the star is a common shape at locations like Dome of the Rock.[4] The pentacle is a commonly used star figure, representing ‘the Pythagorean symbol of healing, the Crucifixion, and Man, as drawn by Leonardo da Vinci.’[6] Regardless of the number of points on the star, the star is used a symbol of guidance in rose window design.[7] The star represents a beacon of light in the night sky, as was the case in the journey of the Magi in the story of Christ’s birth. The guidance of the stars was also essential in navigation in these early eras, thus representing the guiding of the heavens through stormy seas. The West rose window is conveniently placed over the floor labyrinth. The light from the star of the window may also be intended to light the visitor’s way through the labyrinth, which represents the journey of life. 

The labyrinth, like the window, also allows for multiple interpretations. The interpretation of the journey of life is the most prominent of the options, embracing the Christian journey to salvation. This idea is supported by the title of the pattern, called ‘la lieue’ or the ‘league,’ alluding to the length of the path.[5] The designation ‘the league’ allows for further cosmological meaning, referring to the path or orbit of a planet. Being that the labyrinth takes more of an elliptical shape verses a circular also hints to the idea of the actual elliptical travel of the planets.[6]  This quality makes the labyrinth more cosmological although it maintains its Christian elucidations.[7] The Chartres pattern represents the vernal equinox that predicts the date of Easter.[8] In celebration of the resurrection, early Christians would dance around the pattern.[9] They believed that Christ, before returning to earth, journeyed through the labyrinth to purgatory and hell.[10] Easter, calculated through astronomical events, again binds together the studies of science and religion. Additional scientific meaning is ascribed to the pattern when connecting the use of circles to Pythagorean teachings on the harmony of cosmological spheres.[11]

The Notre-Dame de Chartres’ rose windows and labyrinth represent the French dedication to Christianity and the journey to finding salvation. Their path was lit by the West rose window, featuring Christ as judge. Each visitor is watched as they face the twists and turns of the labyrinth that lies just beyond the gaze of Christ. The religious interpretation of these architectural features is complimented with the cosmological ideals of the era, tying together the natural occurrences of the earth to the power of God. The intertwining of religion and science allowed for a harmonious rule of the church and continuation of scientific inquiry in the thirteenth century. The great piety of the time perhaps overshadows any cosmological intent in the design, but what should be questioned is whether or not it was possible that the common man made scientific inferences upon his visit to the church. If these architectural features are the books of the illiterate, what exactly was the medieval man reading in his viewing of the rose window and labyrinth? As a 21^st century viewer, I am open to both religious and scientific intentions, but what was envisioned by the Chartres artists and what was viewed by medieval visitors remains in question.

 ~Emily

---

[1] Miller, 92.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid. Image: West Rose Window, 2012, Chartres Cathedral, World Heritage, accessed July 26, 2012, http://www.cathedrale-chartres.org.

[4] Oleg Grabar, The Dome of the Rock (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2006), pg. 76. Image: Creswell’s Dome of the Rock floor plan. West Rose Window picture provided by: West Rose Window, 2012, Chartres Cathedral, World Heritage, accessed July 26, 2012, http://www.cathedrale-chartres.org. Geometric pattern added by the author. Do note that the geometric forms of the Chartres image are not fully accurate due to the angle of the photograph.

[5] Hermann Kern, Through the Labyrinth: Designs and Meanings over 5.000 Years (New York: Prestel, 2000), pg. 153.

[6] This idea was suggested in the Classical Greek era, but not confirmed until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by Brahe and Kepler. See Aughton, 85.

[7] Kern, 110.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid. See also Kern, 146.

[11] Ibid. Images: Left, Chartres Labyrinth, 2012, Chartres Cathedral, World Heritage, Chartres, http://www.cathedrale-chartres.org/. Right: Kern,