Just pull the couch over to cover the bad art.

The diarist formerly known as tcklyrpharsn gave a talk tonight for the classics series in the old library. Her argument was regarding the spaces used for X-tian worship and communion in the early C.E., refuting another scholar who insists that there could be no tolerance of Pagan elements in an area (such as a house) where such worship took place. There is one extant example of a wall containing a fresco representing the cult of Backus in a house where it is fairly certain a former dining room was turned into a sanctuary, and the fact that this piece of domestic art was allowed to remain allows for speculation that the esteemed scholar may be mistaken and that in fact pagan symbology could have co-existed quite peaceably with the new Christian theology.

During the question period afterwards, I came up with one of my usually embarrassing questions, the kind that no one dares to ask, and suggested that this section of wall may have been hidden behind a cabinet, or a panel of sorts, or even an arras. Fortunately our guest speaker glossed over this, and it was looked at as being a bit of a joke. But the truth is that if this was the point, then it is a moot argument as the section of wall would not have been visible in the first place.

Except that afterwards Ed and Mike followed me home for tea and we got to talking about this and decided that Tickles should incorporate into her research this aspect of the possibility of the art being hidden behind furniture for the following reason. I said to Mike that there is a possibility that there is something painted on the wall of my dining room, something that I find odious, and instead of repainting I just moved the hutch to cover it. But the truth is, if there really were something I disagreed strongly with on my wall, I would have painted over it.

Therefore, if the users of this space for sacred purposes knew that this art existed and felt that it was not significant enough to destroy or remove, but instead just covered it with furniture or something else, then they must also have felt it could co-exist with their own religious symbology. And since Tickles reads my diary from time to time, perhaps she will take up this suggestion.

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