La scultura decorativa di San Miguel de Escalada: plutei, fregi e stucchi

The church of San Miguel de Escalada (León) is considered a very important historical building of Iberia’s early Middle Ages and the most ancient surviving mozarab church. Such an interest is due to the missing consecration inscription, to the architectural innovations on its eastern part and to the decorative sculpture. After analyzing the historiographical background of this church, this article explores the decoration of friezes and chancel barriers and their likely origin. The position of the chancel barriers in relation to the hispanic rite has been analyzed as well. Keywords: decorative sculpture, early Middle Ages, mozarabs, hispanic rite, chancel barriers