medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I am interested in the use of censers in Late Antiquity and the Middle
Ages. In some Byzantine examples the chain of the censer appears to be very
short (about 6 inches or so) which doesn't fit into my mental view
(admittedly Late Medieval) of long-chained censers being swung almost at
floor level.
There is a short-suspension chained Byzantine censer (which looks from the
photo in Buckton, David (ed) (1994)'Byzantium', British Museum Press p 105)
to have a chain of about 6-8 inches. On the opposie page there is a censer
(dated 550-650) with a suspension chain of 427mm - which though longer is
still quite short.
An image of a short-suspension chained censer being carried occurs in the
mosiacs in Ravenna (Emperor Justinian) - the man at the far right. See
http://www.ub.uio.no/uhs/ombibl/Sophus/Utstillinger/Mosaikker/Images/003%
20Ravenna%20SVitale%20Justinian.jpg
Does anyone know if these short-suspension chained censers would have been
swung, or just carried, were these just Byzantine or did the Anglo-Saxons
have similar short-suspension chained censers as well, and if so when did
the lengthening of the chains come about and why (a liturgical change?)?
Any help or other examples gratefully received
Chris Daniell
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