Out fifteenth Tribune was held in cooperation with the Zagreb Classical Gymnasium Society (DZKG) on Monday 23 April 2012 at 7pm in the DZKG premises, Preradovićeva 44, 1. kat.
Prof. Branko Vujanović, academic painter and graphical artist, held a lecture titled »Falcon – the bird of Marko Polo«
A falcon is in the Croatian literature a glorious bird about which many folk and songwriters sing. It is found in numerous artefacts, from the Tarhunpiyas Stella of 8th century BC, depictions on the stečak stone monuments to the modern mogila in Maksimir forest, Zagreb. In Venice, in a corner of the Corte Seconda del Milion, there is a tower similar to the one in Korčula, although without it original roof and the old heavy doors, making a passage to the Maliobran theatre.
Above that entrance, at the time house of Marko Polo, there is a richly ornamented arch with a cross above it and a stone disk depicting a falcon hunting a rabbit. With this symbol Marko Polo marked his possession, his religion and his fascination with the falcon, the mythical bird of the ancient Egypt, the attribute of the Solar deity Ra, and emphasized his journey to the lands of the raising sun. The falcon was in China a symbol of high officials, while at the period it is shown in Europe hunting a rabbit as a symbol of Christianity.
CIGH