A B C of Gothic Architecture

58 THE NOKMAX PERIOD.
and the signs of the zodiac, all belong to the later
of Byzantine character is seen on the ornaments,
as at Durham.
Sculptured
ornament
made
progress
great
iN'orman period. In the later Norman moldings a mixture
during
the twelfth
century.
We
have seen by
Abacus and String.
the testimony of Gervase that the chisel was not used
in the " glorious choir of Conrad "
at
Canterbury, -which
was built between 1096 and 1130, and an examination
of the old work proves
the exactness of his statement;
all the sculptured ornament on the old work
is shallow, and such as could very
well be executed
with
the
axe, which is not a bad tool in the hands
of a skilful workman, and is still commonly
used in
many parts of England and France. On comparing
this early work at Canterbury with other early Norman
buildings,it is plain that they all had their
ornaments executed in the same manner: the chisel
is only requiredfor deep-cutting and especially undercutting,
and that we do not find on any buildings
of ascertained date before 1120. The chisel was used