The mystery of the three hares (2009)

news.bbc.co.uk

63 points·zeristor··5 comments

Photos of the 3 hares motif in Devon Churches:

http://www.chrischapmanphotography.co.uk/hares/haresmen.htm

As per usual this has also been YouTubed:

An hour long lecture on the Three Hares by a Dr Sue Andrew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z212jG-OtDQ

The Three Hares Project. Photographing a medieval roof boss, South Tawton, Devon 2001: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnTIZX_adZ0

Further articles on this:

New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2082809-the-three-hares...

and someone's passion project book:

http://www.chrischapmanphotography.co.uk/hares/page7.htm

Wikipedia has some more information about the three hares: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_hares

One of the Wikipedia sources quotes the Chinese expert as saying he thinks the motif came from Central Asia, East to China, and represent peace and tranquility.

> Guan Youhui, a retired researcher from the Dunhuang Academy, spent fifty years studying the decorative patterns in the Mogao Caves. He believes the three-hares image came to Dunhuang indirectly from the West (Central Asia) by way of central China...

Since those instances were created at around 300-500 and later, seems like the very earliest instances of the motif came from the center of the known instances, which would be the eastern Mediterranean area. That also predates Islam and Buddhism.

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