Capital and Abacus - Story of Saint John the Baptist and Salome

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The carving above this capital depicts a simple yet dramatic scene unfolding.\r\nDirection of reading:\r\n- Left panel: Salome performs an enticing dance before Herod, who sits upon his throne with great interest.- Right panel: Saint John the Baptist meets his tragic end, his soul rising to heaven as a naked child is received by Christ.- Main panel, from right to left: the executioner hands Salome a gruesome gift - Salome presents her mother, Herodias, with the severed head of John the Baptist on a platter.\r\nSaint John the Baptist was a renowned prophet in Israel, known for his unwavering faith. He baptised Jesus and recognised him as the long-awaited Messiah. His imprisonment followed after he publicly condemned the scandalous union between Herod, the ruler of Galilee, and his brother's wife, Herodias. At a lavish banquet, Salome, Herodias' daughter, dazzled her stepfather with an enchanting dance. Enthralled, Herod made a promise to grant her any wish she desired. Seizing this opportunity, Herodias cunningly instructed her daughter to demand the life of John the Baptist. Upon Herod's orders, the executioner carried out the gruesome deed. The crime was soon completed, and Salome presented her mother with John the Baptist's severed head on a platter.