You might be thinking “I’m sick of hearing about The Da Vinci Code and the Templars,” and we are in complete agreement!
We are not going to talk about those things in this article at all.. there are plenty of books and movies out there covering that.. no no.. THIS article is about something much more macabre and strange. We are going to look at how a piece of stone architecture drove a man to murder.
Once you step into Rosslyn Chapel it’s like stepping into a fever dream, there are so many stone carvings it’s absolutely unreal. It is also incredibly beautiful so if you’re anything like me you’re stopping the foot traffic because you are in absolute mouth open awe. What a masterpiece this is.
But one decoration in particular is unique in this room. Let me tell you about this beauty.
It’s the Apprentice Pilla. This piece is so complex in its construction that it ended a young man’s life.
The Masters Envy
We don’t know his name, so he is regularly called “The Master Mason” in the legends of Rosslyn chapel.
But this man has spent his entire life, mastering the craft and art of using his hands, wits and talent, to cut and shape stone into wonderful creations. He received the task of building the ultimate pillar for the church but he felt he was missing some skills to complete the image he had in his mind. So in his quest to get the pillar just right, the master traveled to Rome to study the old techniques.
But when he returned his jaw fell to the floor. Because in his absence his apprentice had finished the work for him. He had created a masterful work of art. Absolutely breathtaking. From the dragons at the bottom to the vines spiraling all the way to the top. It was nothing short of incredible.
Now. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself as The Master. how would you have reacted?
Well , he didnt take it lightly I’m afraid. And a termination of his employment seemingly wasn’t going to cut it for the master. Blinded by pure, uncontrollable jealousy, he grabbed his heavy stone mallet and crushed the apprentice’s head , right then and there.
Carved Punishment
Now you’d think The Masters story ends with a quick old hanging.
But no …. this is old Europe so of course it gets worse.
The punishment for The Master was a little special. The remaining stonemasons would be put to work.
If you look up inside the church you’ll find 3 faces in the dark corners. Carved into the stone.
The first one is his apprentice, carved with a deep gash in his forehead.
The second face is the apprentice mother, weeping for her son.
And the last face is The Master himself. But his is a little special.
It is on purpose placed in such a way that his eyes stare at his apprentice work.
Forced to stare at his apprentices’ work for eternity.
To stare forever at the genius that he himself never achieved.
Fitting punishment? They probably still hanged him though.
The Sound of Genius
The apprentice genius didn’t just include the pillar though.
This guy was something else. Because if you look up, right above the pillar you’ll see 213 small stone cubes. All carved with this very weird geometric pattern.
Get this – It would take centuries before anyone figured it out!
Around 2005 a guy named Thomas Mitchell spent years trying to figure it out. And he succeeded.
turns out they represent sound, and not just any sound. When decoded it turns out its music.
This type of code is called Cymatics, and its basically a CD recorded into the walls.
And in 2006 the music that they decoded from the stones, the motet was actually played inside the chapel for the first time.
One has to wonder if the apprentice ever heard the tune himself.
