Royat - Saint-Léger

Saint-Léger is the parish church of Royat in the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. This was once the church of a priory, depending from Mozat.

The structure has a complex building history. Dating back to the 11th century, the building got a first fortification within the 13th century. Construction went on and on over centuries.

The same capital as before, now from a different pov. While Zygmunt Świechowski ("Sculpture romane d'Auvergne") had the idea of "virtues",
Bernard Craplet ("Auvergne romane") quotes Émile Mâle, having deciphered this capital. Note that the beard seems cut (a bit unpropper) and remember, that the "soldier" wears civilian clothes and seems floating.

Following Émile Mâle, this carving illustrates

Book of Ezekiel 5.1


1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.