Bourbon-l'Archambault - Saint-Georges

Bourbon-l'Archambault is the place of origin of the House of Bourbon, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. In Roman times a settlement, named "Bituriges" existed here, and where Saint-Georges is now, once was temple, dedicated to Apollo.

The church was erected in the second half of the 12th century and belonged to a monastery of Benedictine nuns in Saint-Menoux (10kms east). The church, that has parallels in Burgundy and in the Auvergne, got altered and enlarged over the centuries.

During the enlargments many of the medieval capitals got destroyed, but along the nave and around the crossing are still some interesting (multicoloured) ones, strongly influenced by the carvings style common in Auvergne.

A medieval orchestra!

The musician to the very left blows the horn - and hold a kind of harp. The tall guy next to him plays the vielle, followed by two flute players. The large one has a double flute. In the right corner either a dancer, clapping her hands.

I remember having seen similar double flutes traveling in, what was Yugoslavia at that time.

Youtube has many videos of "double flautists"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xFqZxJNPIo

There is a little spiked head between the large fiddler and the small flautist.