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Richard Bailey comments on the Kirby Hill cross shaft as follows: as follows:

”Nearer to York at Kirby Hill YN there are two further illustrations of the tale. One, set on a cross shaft immediately below a Crucifixion, has elements which occur elsewhere: the thumb-sucking, the headless body and some indeterminate shapes which presumably represent the spit, fire and dragon. The other fragment from the same site, which is now lost, showed a sword thrust through a serpent shape. Now this composition closely resembles the one we have already seen on a Russian axe where it was accompanied by the motif of birds in the tree. It would seem that Kirby Hill could boast of two different Sigurd iconographies.”

Bailey, R.N., (1980) “Viking Age Sculpture” Collins, London, p.120-121

Sigurd Motif from Kirby Hill (a) Vladimir-Susdal axe (b)

The Kirby Hill Cross Shaft
(click on the image to enlarge)

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