seven on the lower row--with pairs of birds placed face to face. On the middle section of

the ark, there are three cubicula with the members ofNoah's family; and on the lower

section there are ten cubicula with pairs of animals also facing each other. At either side

of the cubicula there are two towers--two in the upper sections and two in the lower

sections. Coming out of the two highest towers are two men looking and pointing to the

sky. On the left side of the roof of the ark, the dove stands with a gigantic olive leaf in its

beak. On the right of the ark, a human head is being devoured by a raven.20 Underneath

the ark, on the left, Noah stands in front of an altar where he has placed a number of live

animals and birds. Next to the altar in the center, there is a roundel with the image of

Sem, Cam and Jafet, Noah's three sons.21 Other smaller roundels with names written in

their interiors are link to the central one, completing the genealogical tables.

 Noah's Ark shares a number of similarities with the initials of style B [Plate 5, 6,

7]. Stylistically, the hair of Noah has the same stylish curls than the Eigure of the prophet

inside the initial "A." Furthermore, Noah has the same type of facial characteristics--

especially the mouth, which is rendered in a similar way. Another similarity resides in the

garments. Noah' s robe has decorative dots on the cuff similar to those on the attire of the

prophet of the initial "A". The garment of the Eigure that comes out of one of the towers

20 Schulz, G., "Las Miniaturas de la Biblia de Avila," 1898, pp. 102, identifies the black
bird as the raven. The image of the severed head and the raven might seem very strange
since there is nothing describing the incident in the story of Noah's Ark. In the story,
after the forty days, Noah sent first a raven that went to and fro until the waters were
dried up from the earth. I believe that the dark bird that is eating the eyes of the human
head is the raven, and the severed head is what remains of the wickedness and evilness of
humanity. Another 12th century manuscript, the Roderici Eximenide RadaRRRRR~~~~~~~RRRRRR Breviarium
Historiae Catholicae, that depicts Noah's Ark (fol. 49) shows a similar happening with a
raven feasting on the body of a man. See Dominguez Bordona, J. La M~iniatura Espaiola.
Tomo I. Ed. Gustavo Gili. Barcelona: Pathon-Casa Editrice-Firenze, 1930, Plate 57.

21 Schulz, G., "Las Miniaturas de la Biblia de Avila," 1898, p. 101.