Adam and Eve

This stone is one of a series of carved stones which told the story of the beginning of the world as described in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

The stones spent some 700 years around the west door of York Minster, before their removal in 1990 after they were found to be unsafe or beyond repair.

This stone and two other examples are now on display in the undercroft below the Minster, where an exhibition tells the history of the Minster site since it was originally used by the Romans as the site of their headquarters in York.

Minster masons carved new stones interpreting the Genesis story and they were placed around the west door to replace the original stones.

Ian

[Padlock]

Wow would you adam and eve it!!!

[Graham Thresher]

Fabulous capture

[Camille Bisson]

incredible capture and so enjoy and the info you include with your shots. this is fascinating.

[Vanya]

love this and the history thanks for sharing

[Molly]

Amazing to think of the age of these sculptures, and that they survived in good condition for so long.

[Ivan]

Wonderful sculptures, in such good condition.

[Robert Smith]

They are holding hands so tenderly. I'm struck by how realistic they are. Good they were replaced giving us the chance to see them in isolation.

[Pyrrhula]

A beautiful capture of this beautiful stones, you can see the history of it on it but I think that`s one of the charms of it.

[Lynne Hart]

Lovely capture, such wonderful detail in the carving.

[Margaret Obey]

Lovely to see such a great statue was saved and can still be seen.

[Loopy-Lou]

fabulous capture

[Denise fuller]

Great capture. My cousin used to be a stone mason at the Minster. I wonder if he worked on the new carvings. I think i need to find out

[gloria jones]

Great capture and interesting history

[essiesue]

What an interesting history of these sculptures and what a privilege for us to see them through your camera lens. I love the history of them you shared.

[Dennis]

Nice shot! Looks like Adam is camera shy. Interesting connection with Denise Fuller's cousin.

[bruni]

After all this time to be in such good condition still is amazing. so what's going to happen to them when they are being replaced?

[Julia]

Great sculpture and history

[Fisher Family]

@padlock @thresheg @catsmeowb @vanya @dolphin @ivan @rob24 @pyrrhula @lhart @ceilidh @bizziebeeme @denisefuller @seattlite @essiesue @boomer @bruni @juliac

Thank you all for your lovely comments - I'm pleased so many of you enjoy history as we do!

Denise - the stones were replaced around the west door in the early 1990s, would your cousin have worked there then?

Bruni - there are three of these stones on display in the undercroft area for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure what happened to the others, but it's quite possible that some may have been sold to help fund more restoration.

Ian