Lautenbach - Collégiale Saint Gangolph

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged.

Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here.

Here is the right side of the "smiling-devil-frame", seen before.
A pig is feeding here on that babylike body, symbolising the soul, that the devil is holding by the leg.

On the left side a body (head upward) is given to a snake, on the right side a body (head downward) is given to a pig.

Why did the carver choose a snake and a pig? Accidently? Just two snakes would have created a very nice, even symmetrical icon.

The snake and the pig must have different "symbolic values" - in the evil system of hell. There must be sins, punished by being fed to snakes, and other sins, punished by being fed to pigs.