he
Crucifixion, endless varieties were composed to suit the
ecclesiastical taste and requirements of different national styles of
symbolical decoration. I refer my readers to plate 26 in the chapter
on patterns for a few of these from different sources. They are
extremely suggestive. I have there entered more fully into the
subject, regarding it as a fertile pattern motive in textile art.[542]

The cross "bearing twelve fruits for the saving of the nations"[543]
is so like some of the representations of the Persian or Indian Tree
of Life, that the transmission and adoption of the symbolic form is
evident. The cross (plate 63) is a good mediaeval example, and is taken
from the celebrated rose-coloured cope at Rheims, embroidered with
gold and pearls on a rose-coloured satin ground.

[Illustration: Pl. 70.
IVORY CONSULAR DIPTYCH.
1. In the Wasser-Kirche Museum, Zurich. Sixth century. 2. Of an
earlier period, and finer workmanship, at Halberstadt. No
date given.]

The Roes is an ecclesiastical pattern of wide use and of very long
descent, often named in ancient Church inventories. It is sometimes
called the "Wheel and Plate." Its origin is probably Oriental, but it
certainly was adopted by the Romans as the motive of their triumphal
garments, the _togae pictae_, worn in the processional return of a
conqueror, whether he were a general or a sovereign. The first motive
was a surface covered with circles, closely touching each other, and
containing figures which had a reference to their purpose. In
Christian times the heads of saints were sometimes inserted,
especially in that form of the Roes called the chrysoclavus, from the
intersticial ornament between the circles.

I have written (p. 308-9) about the Trabea, which on the Roman
consular ivory diptychs of several centuries is so invariably
embroidered with this same clavus pattern (plate 70) that we must
conclude that it had a meaning and a tradition.

The very ancient superstition that driving in a nail is a fortunate
rite, may have been connected with the pattern called the clavus; and
the chrysoclavus, from being merely a nail pattern, became consecrated
in Christian art as representing the heads of the nails of the
Crucifixion, and hence its early Christian name.[544] It was
originally filled in with a radiated ornament like the sun; (probably
the first motive of this pattern, which seems to be the same as the
Egyptian sun-cross,) and