[47] See M. Aymard’s _Album Photographique d’Archéologie Religieuse_, and a communication from the same gentleman in the _Bulletin Archéol._ vol. ii. p. 645. M. Aymard mentions one other example, a diptych, figured in Montfaucon (_L’Antiquité Expliquée_) vol. iii. p. 89, which dates from about A.D. 900. The hand at Le Puy is larger than life, and has a double nimbus round it, the inner yellow, the outer dark red; the hand is white and the ground within the nimbus dark blue. The Secretary of the Comité Historique des Arts et Monuments considers that this representation of the Greek mode of giving the benediction makes it certain that the work at Le Puy is Byzantine in its origin. But one may, I think, be allowed to doubt whether this conclusion is to be absolutely depended on. [48] M. Aymard. See footnote on preceding page. [49] The spire-lights in the cathedral steeple are very similar, and the same form is seen in the steeple of the church of S. Marie des Chases, in Auvergne. [50] Also the octagonal church, surrounded by an octagonal cloister, of the Templars at Eunate in Navarre, and the church of Vera Cruz at Segovia.--G. G. K. [51] The elevation of one bay of the nave of this church is almost exactly the same as that of S. Petronio, Bologna, though of course on a very reduced scale. The plan is Italian also, the nave groining-compartments being square, whilst those of the aisles are very oblong; the contrary arrangement is, as I need hardly say, almost invariable in northern Gothic plans. [52] The cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand, a fine fourteenth-century church, is said to have been originally on the same plan as Notre-Dame-du-Port; excavations have proved this to have been the case. The present cathedral is almost precisely similar in plan to those of Narbonne and Limoges (see Viollet-le-Duc, _Dictionnaire_), and is said to have been commenced in A.D. 1248 by Bishop Hugues de la Tour. [53] I give a list of some of the churches which either belong to or illustrate the Auvergnat type, with their dates, as nearly as I can ascertain them:--Conques, completed by A.D. 1060. S. Étienne, Nevers, commenced A.D. 1063, consecrated A.D. 1097. S. Eutrope, Saintes, consecrated in A.D. 1096. S. Genés, A.D. 1016-A.D. 1120. S. Front, Périgueux, A.D. 984 to A.D. 1047. Angoulême, A.D. 1109–1136. Fontevrault, A.D. 1100. S. Hilaire, Poitiers, A.D. 1049; Moustier-neuf, ditto, A.D. 1069–1096; S. Radegonde, ditto, A.D. 1099. Riom (S. Amable), A.D. 1077–1120. S. Sernin, Toulouse, _circa_ A.D. 1150. Cluny, commenced A.D. 1089; consecrated A.D. 1131. Dorat (Hte. Vienne) and Bénévent (Creuse), _circa_ A.D. 1150–1200. S. Germain-des-Prés, Paris, consecrated A.D. 1163. Le-Moûtier (suburb of Thiers), A.D. 1016. S. Saturnin, Volvic, Issoire, S. Nectaire, N.-D.-du-Port, Clermont, _circa_ A.D. 1080–1160. Brioude, _circa_ A.D. 1200. Orcival.