f “Sus cabelleras brillaban como plumas de pavo real: los guerreros de Alejandro y las sirenas en un capitel de la Catedral de Santiago de Compostela”

Two capitals included in the iconographical programme developed in the first chapel in the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela (1075-1088) illustrate Alexander’s military expedition to India. One of them shows his ascension to Heaven and the other represents the meeting between Alexander’s army and the mysterious “ladies from the waters”. Those women seduce the warriors leading them to their death. In both episodes it we note the intention to illustrate passages from Alexander’s roman. As we are speaking of the eleventh century, this would be the first time it was represented in romanesque European sculpture.