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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture francine nicholson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>From: Christopher Crockett <[log in to unmask]> >>my favorite is the little bits of mirrors which were built into the Aachen badges, apparently for the purpose of "catching" a glimpse of the major relic of the place (a chemise of the Virgin) on a day when it was being monstrated so that it could be taken home. >Yet Europeans have had the gall to make fun of more "primitive" peoples who thought that mirrors and cameras might "steal" their souls! "shadow catchers" the american Sioux called photographers, i believe. a rather profound characterisation, you come to think of it. reminds me of Paramahansa Yoganada's remarks about "Bioscopes." my own feeling is that us modrens are really no less "superstitious" than folks of other times or cultures, we've just changed the perameters of what we call "superstition." witness the pattently absurd and dogmatic, kneejerk defences of the "scientific" evidence for a 13-14th c. date for the artifact knowns as the Shroud of Turin. there is a very interesting book which i started to read a while ago but lost before i could finish it. Ralph Merrifield, _The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic_ (New York, 1988). Merrifield is a professional archeologist specialising in the history of London, and this book is a serious study of "ritual" and "magic" from Roman times *to the present*, based on the archeological evidence (metal objects --like knives and pilgrims' badges-- bent and thrown into rivers or wells/springs, shoes buried in walls, that sort of thing, thousands of them). interesting book. wish i could find my copy so i could finish it. best from here, christopher ********************************************************************** 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