They were everywhere... outside on the streets, in the cathedrals, around the Colliseum, the museums.
Mostly they were of Roman gods and godesses, cute little cherubs holding bows and arrows, also statues of citizens of great standing in ancient Rome.
Despite having hung around in the city for more than 2000 years, they were still in good condition, although some have certain parts of their anatomy broken or fallen off but even so, they are really quite magnificent.
Generally the forms were depicted as being in very good shape with perfect proportions and rippling muscles. Even though they were just sculptures, people still gawked at them - perhaps they had not seen something as perfect before in their lives.
Dare I contemplate what was going round in the minds of these oldish men?
Were they wishing she wasn't stone.... but had breath?
No wonder Islam forbids the sculpting of human and animal forms, and I quote from http://www.ilmgate.org/the-legal-status-of-pictures-and-photography-commentary-of-hadith-from-sahih-muslim/:
"It was narrated] from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) [that] he said: I heard Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say, “Whoever makes a picture in this world will be charged with breathing spirit [into it], while he is not one that breathes [spirits].”
Al-Bukhari transmitted it in Bab man Sawwara Suratan kullifa Yawm al-Qiyamati an Yanfukha fi ha l-Ruh wa laysa bi Nafikh."
The other place I've visited which has statues and carvings around every corner - scary looking ones at that - is Bali.
To me these places are worth visiting only once.
Just because of those un-rolling stones.
2 comments:
A posting every other day? Tulislah banyak banyak sebelum sibuk main cucu.
Alhamdulillah dah ada dua orang Pakcik. As always grannies love to show off photos of the grandkids. Mine are in my blog header picture - Iman and Adam, 7 months and 3 months respectively. They've made granny a bit busy this year :)
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