Vouxey, wall stone
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1696
I.
D.
B.
A
+
M
Interpretation:
1696: The date 1696 probably corresponds to the year of manufacture, installation or consecration of the stone.
I. D. B.: These are probably the initials of the people involved in the erection or financing of this stone. For example:
"I. D. B." could designate "Jean de B...", "Jacques D. B...", or another combination of first and last names.
A + M:
This
could
be
a
symbolic
abbreviation,
commonly
used
at
that
time,
for
religious
invocations:
Ave
Maria
(Greeting
to
the
Virgin
Mary).
A
dedication
to
the
Saints
(e.g.
the
first
letters
of
two
sacred
names).
Another
possibility
is
that
it
represents
two
other
associated
people
or
families,
with
their
initials
A
and
M.
