The Bcwcastle Cross 237 



the Ruthwell figure is the lack of nimbus in this case, and also of 

 visible feet — the hem of the gown reaches the base of the panel. 

 Beneath the panel are these runes ^ : 



2. The Figure of Christ. I A I I I | 

 The central figure stands in a niche, like 



the others, except that the top is curved, l.\^ ' ' T T j| ^'' 

 not square. The figure, that of Christ, ' 



stands facing the spectator, his feet placed on the long heads of two 

 animals which emerge diagonally from the lower corners. The noses of 

 the creatures are touching, their ears are small, and what may possibly 

 be a foot of each appears just above its head, on the left and right re- 

 spectively. The head of Christ, wearing a cruciform nimbus, has 

 parted hair which falls to his shoulders. The face appears to be wi- 

 thout beard or moustache. He is clothed in a tunic, reaching to the 

 ankles, and a mantle, which, V-shaped at the neck, has its heavy folds 

 caught up, and draped over each arm. The right arm, bent upward 

 from the elbow, from which the drapery hangs, is topped by a 

 mutilated hand, in the attitude of benediction. The left hand holds 

 across the front a roll, an end of which touches the right elbow. At 

 each side the folds of the mantle reach the hem of the tunic ; the 

 curved fold falling between the arms reaches only to the knee. 



Between this figure and the lowest one there is a long space, filled 

 by nine horizontal hues of runes, now mostly illegible. ^ 



3. The Falconer. 



The lowest figure, also in a round-arched niche, is that of a falconer, 

 with a bird of prey on his wrist. The main body, placed in the left 

 of the panel, is turned sidcwise, the right shoulder being presented 

 to the spectator. The head is turned nearly full face outward. Parted 

 hair falls to the shoulders, and the face has beard and moustache. 

 The left forearm is extended horizontally toward the right border 

 of the panel, and the bird perches on it, facing outward. Though 

 the claws are worn away, it is just above the hand in the conventional 

 position of a trained falcon. Its beak is turned toward the man's 

 left shoulder. Beneath it, standing higher than the falconer's knee, 

 is the perch, shaped hke a crutch or T. The man holds in his right 

 hand a rod, which slants downward in front of him. His garment seems 

 to resemble a plaid of heavy cloth, which, draped across his chest, is 



1 See p. 37. 



- See pp. 38, 41-43. 



(25) 



