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Posted on 12/12/2006 6:52:44 PM PST by blam
Life-size sketch of giant dome uncovered
By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Last Updated: 2:35am GMT 13/12/2006
Archaeologists digging to reach the tomb of St Paul have stumbled across a life-size "sketch" of the dome of St Peter's produced by one of its architects in the 16th century.
The excavation of St Paul's tomb at the church of St Paul's Outside-the-Walls in Rome is now complete, and the sarcophagus will be on view from the beginning of next year.
However, three feet below the floor of the enormous church, which is the second-largest in the city, the project's team came across a surprise from the Renaissance.
An architectural drawing of the arches and walls of the dome of St Peter's had been carved into 1,726 marble slabs by Giacomo Della Porta, who took over the design and construction work of the dome after the death of Michelangelo. The slabs had formed the floor of the church at the time.
"It was a complete surprise," said Carlo Visconti, one of the engineers. "It is a curious find, and perhaps we shall think about putting it on view to the pilgrims, tourists and students who will come to see St Paul's tomb."
He added that there was a simple explanation for the drawing. When Michelangelo died, he did not leave behind scale drawings of the dome. Consequently, Della Porta decided to sketch out the cupola in life-size and the only covered place large enough for him to work in was the church. "He needed to do the sketch to work out his calculations," said Giorgio Filippi, an architect at the Vatican.
Mr Filippi said the Pope is in the process of deciding whether or not to open the lid of St Paul's sarcophagus in order to examine the remains. The tomb has been locked inside a block of concrete since the 19th century.
Ping.
A full size drawing. What a concept.
They'd be too big to post, wouldn't they?
I hope they do some pics.
I have the world's largest seashell collection. I keep it scattered on thousands of beaches.
I don't want everything. I mean, if you had everything... where would you keep it?
/steven wright :-)
fire hazard too.
Open St. Paul's sarcophagus and see if he is incorrupt.
They opened Beethoven's tomb and found him sitting there erasing the notes on a sheet of music.
wow, so many people thought of the steven wright joke!
GROAN!
This was a very common architectural procedure of the time. I just saw something about this on TV recently (like National Geographic or History channel). European Cathedral building - very common to use a 1:1 scale drawing.
He lofted the design.
Table of offsets anyplace?
He was decomposing, right?
[rimshot!]
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When using stone for architecture 1:1 drawings are very useful. You can compare each stone cut for fit and finish and know that it will be set as it should.
The architect often used 100s of skilled stone cutters to make the parts for walls and domes. The architect would compare each piece with the drawing before approval to set.
Wow. This is thrilling.
Engineering Drawings - the artwork formerly known as prints...
Because if he's decomposed he's not really a saint? If the body is missing, is he St Elsewhere?
Heh.
"...I mean, if you had everything... where would you keep it..."
If you did have averything, you would have the resources to hold all of your stuff.
Loftsmen in the aircraft and shipbuilding industry used to do these full size drawings of wings and other parts on huge tables up in the loft at the shipyard.
Sometimes I turn all the lights off when I'm in the shower and pretend I'm in a submarine that's been hit...
No, if he's decomposed he;''s still a Stain. If the body's missing, he's "St. Elsewhere".
But if he's there, incorrupt, after 20 centuries, it would be a screamingluy POWERFUL sign from God to the world, a clarion call to anybdoy who has the mind able to see and understand. Incorruption of a 2000 year-old body is impossible. The CURRENT crop of incorrupt saints, especially Saint Silvan, whose incorrupt body has lain in its current state...like he died yesterday, since 380 AD...are powerful witnesses, but there is always suspicion that the bodies have been tinkered with, etc. Open up St. Paul's tomb, in the modern age, after 20 centuries, and find an incorrupt Saint Paul in two pieces (head and rest), and there will be no question of tampering or tinkering. There will be pathetic efforts to find a "scientific" explanation, but there won't really BE one, and everyone with a mind will now that. It will be one more of those tangible, visible injections of Gods command over nature and natural law into our world. Many Thomases will be saved by such a find.
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