medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
John Dillon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Jim Bugslag <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>For an interesting study of these fascinating objects, which appear quite
perplexingly to have been fairly generally ignored, see Lenz Kriss-Rettenbeck,
Ex Voto. Zeichen, Bild und Abbild im christlichen Votivbrauchtum (Zurich,
Atlantis, 1972).
I.U.'s copy of this is "missing", but from the other books we have by this
author it would appear that he (she?) is a folklorist, specialising in popular
religion:
Amulett und Talisman. Erscheinungsform und Gerschichte [von] Liselotte
Hansmann und Lenz Kriss-Rettenbeck. (Optische Prasentation [von] Claus
Hansmann)
Munchen, Callwey (1966) 270 p., chiefly illus. (part col.) with text,
facsims.
Bilder und Zeichen religiösen Volksglaubens
Kriss-Rettenbeck, Lenz, 1923-
München, G. D. W. Callwey [1963]
Das Votivbild
Kriss-Rettenbeck, Lenz, 1923-
München : G.D.W. Callwey, c1961.
Wallfahrtsorte Europas
Kriss, Rudolf, 1903-1973.
München : Hornung-Verlag, c1950.
i'll take a look at these shortly.
> A quick check of the IMB
what's IMB ?
>Antoine, Elisabeth, "L'image d'un saint thaumaturge: les ex-voto de
Saint-Nicholas de Tolentino (XVe - milieu XVIe siècle)." Revue
Mabillon(1996), 183-208
will check this out, too.
> Note that the ex votos to Nick of Tolentino include tablets: this is a
common early modern and modern form (whether painted or mosaic or metal
sheets). How common are these in the MA?
what do you mean, "tablets" ?
> Finally, many ex votos refer to parts of the body...These are conceptually
closely related to talismans (and some of the ex votos in the form of rings or
pins may be closely related to amulets)
yes.
i think that we're in a foggy area where several different kinds of "pilgrim
souvenirs" have closely-related amuletical [amuletistical??] functions, which
us litteral-minded modrens can only understand with difficulty, if at all.
even the most "utilitarian" of pilgrims' badges, after all have survived
because they were preserved in the anaerobic conditions in river bottoms,
being (apparently) deliberately thrown from bridges. (*thousands* have been
found under such circumstances, all over Europe.)
they weren't just post cards.
Sarah Blick of Kenyon College, a noted expert on Pilgrims' souvenirs, has this
to say about "badges":
"Pilgrim badges were also taken home as amuletic magic charms. They've been
found buried in foundations of houses, hung over stall doors, pinned on cattle
troughs, and placed in fields to guard against weed and vermin infestations.
Some pilgrims took their badges to their grave, hoping that the heavenly
gatekeepers would see and appreciate this material evidence of their
devotion."
>albeit with a different function (thanksgiving rather than warding off or
healing).
given the probability that not everyone was cured of their affliction
instantaneously and on the spot, as a mind game, i can imagine another use of
these "body part" artifacts:
the afflicted pilgrim visits the thaumatergic shrine in a numinous place
(close by or far away), and participates in whatever it is that pilgrims
participate in --ordinary liturgies, feast day processions, whatever-- but is
*not* immediately healed.
he/she purchases an amulet specific to his/her particular affliction from a
conveniently located stall in the cathedral tower (a candle[?] stall in the
cathedral tower is mentioned in an early 12th c. document from Chartres, btw),
and has it specially charged with the "universal will to become" (as Kurt
Vonnegut has it) by putting it in contact with the shrine/reliquary/holy oil
or water, etc., and takes it home.
where it continues to work its ju-ju.
when/if the fellow is cured, another pilgrimage in thanksgiving is in order,
and the amulet becomes, literally, an ex voto.
sounds good to me.
does anyone know of such a scenario mentioned in the hagiographic literature?
seems like most miracles in those are of the "instantaneous" variety.
>It is thus possible that they too are covered to some degree in the
literature on the latter.
among which sould be included this interesting work:
Ralph Merrifield, _The archaeology of ritual and magic_. London: B.T.
Batsford, 1987. xiv, 224pp., ill.
i'm off to the stacks.
best from here,
christopher
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