medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Katherine French <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> concealed shoes, as they are called by the folks who study them are an old
practice, and were still buried in the 19th cent. in the US. my house is from
the 1820s and i have found 2 of them in areas near one of my chimneys.
i didn't realise that this particular practice survived so close into our own
benighted era.
>the museum of London also has on display an collection of "good luck charms"
taken out of a 16th cent. London house.
i *think* that Ralph Merrifield was associated with this museum.
>my point, lest i get too far from the middle ages
i don't think that you *can* get "too far from the middle ages" following this
line of enquiry.
it is at *least* as relevant to Things Middlevil, as, say, the arcane details
of the Liturgy, itself the product of merely a tiny, miniscule minority of the
whole population.
to the *overwhelming* mass of the population of all of Europe (and elsewhere),
from the Earliest Times until (supposedly) quite recently these "curious"
practices were a *much* more immediate, intrinsic and elemental part of their
lives than anything which went on in their parish church.
there was a *lot* more to "Medieval Religion" than is Dreamt Of in some's
Philosophy, i'm thinking.
>is that this is a long-lasting practice, and one that some still seem to know
about and even observe.
one of the secondary points of Merrifield's study is that a remarkable number
of these practices persists into our own time.
>many of the shoes found in other houses were children's shoes, presumably
available because children had out grown them.
possible, though children, before the '60s, tended to come along at regular
and interminable intervals and there might not have been any lack of little
feet needing shodding, esp. when the "extended family" was taken into
account.
>so whatever charm or magic they worked would not actually cost extra money.
seems to me like a shoe was a fairly expensive piece of clothing --and one
requiring specialist manufacture well beyond the skills of the members of most
families.
i don't have Merrifield to hand but seem to recall his publishing a picture of
one of these shoes, which appeared to me to be somewhat fancy --substantially
made, with a nice, high heel.
of course, shoes wear out --even beyond the point of possible repair-- and
these might have been the fitting source of JuJu makers.
an interesting question, whether or not the shoes were "shot" or still usable
when they were deposited.
c
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Got Democracy ?
http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/images/articles/20040624080040762_1.jpg
MOUNT RUMSFELD NATIONAL PARK :
http://bushflash.com/jpg/rum.jpg
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|