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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Mitchell B. Merback briefly considers this question in "The Thief, the Cross and the Wheel: Pain and the Spectacle of Punishment in Medieval and Renaissance Europe" (1999). He cites Jacob de Voragine's description of Catherine's torture wheel in "The Golden Legend": "four wheels, studded with iron saws and sharp nails, and by this horrible device the virgin should be cut to pieces, that the sight of so dreadful a death might deter the other Christians. It was further ordered that two of the wheels should revolve in one direction, and two be driven in the opposite direction, so that grinding and drawing her at once, they might crush and devour her." (The translation is from Ryan and Ripperger (London, 1993), p. 711.) Medieval illustrators would be familiar with their contemporary single wheel used in executions to break bones, not cut; presumably this would be why they usually depict Catherine with a single wheel. Marback describes and provides illustrations of several varieties of torture wheels in this fascinating, if occasionally grisly, study. Best, John ------------------------------------------ John Shinners Professor of Humanistic Studies Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 Phone: 574-284-4494 or 574-284-4534 Fax: 284-4855 www.saintmarys.edu/~hust "Learn everything. Afterwards you will see that nothing is superfluous." -- Hugh of St. Victor (d. 1141) ----- Original Message ----- From: Gerallt Nash <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:42:50 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [M-R] St Catherine's wheel/s medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Colleagues We have received an interesting query relating to depictions of St Catherine in medieval images (wall-paintings, glass, wood-cuts etc.). The standard convention shows her standing next to, in front of, or sometimes holding, a wheel around which are a number of nasty-looking blades (and on which she was tortured, before being beheaded when the wheel broke). However, some images show a second wheel. Two Literature Professors are currently debating whether the Catherine Wheel was a machine of many wheels (interlocking, grinding, gears) or one wheel, like a sawmill wheel that cuts logs. The 15th century wall-painting of St Catherine found at St Teilo's church, Llandeilo Tal-y-bont in south Wales, shows the 'typical' arrangement (see http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/rhagor/article/2039/ ), but what are your views? Gerallt D. Nash Senior Curator, Historic Buildings St Fagans: National History Museum, Cardiff, Wales YMWADIAD Mae pob neges ebost a anfonir i neu gan Amgueddfa Cymru yn cael ei sganio gan systemau diogelwch awtomatig er mwyn rheoli negeseuon digymell a dileu cynnwys amhriodol neu beryglus. Cafodd y neges hon ei sganio am firysau cyn ei hanfon, ond dylech hefyd fodloni’ch hun bod y neges, a phob atodiad ynddi, yn rhydd o firysau cyn ei defnyddio gan nad yw’r Amgueddfa’n derbyn cyfrifoldeb am unrhyw golled neu ddifrod o ganlyniad i agor y neges neu unrhyw atodiadau. Gall y neges hon ac unrhyw ffeiliau a atodir ynddi gynnwys gwybodaeth gyfrinachol a fwriadwyd ar gyfer y derbynnydd yn unig. Os ydych chi wedi derbyn y neges trwy gamgymeriad, rhowch wybod i ni a dilëwch y neges. Safbwyntiau personol yr awdur yw’r safbwyntiau a fynegir yn y neges hon, ac nid ydynt o reidrwydd yn cynrychioli safbwyntiau’r Amgueddfa. Nid yw’r Amgueddfa’n atebol am unrhyw wallau, llygredd neu esgeulustod a allai godi wrth drosglwyddo’r neges hon, felly peidiwch â dibynnu ar y cynnwys heb ofyn am ganiatâd ysgrifenedig. DISCLAIMER Email to and from Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is scanned by automated security systems to control unsolicited messages and eliminate inappropriate or dangerous content. This message was scanned for viruses before transmission, but you should also satisfy yourself that the message, and all attachments, are virus-free before use as the Museum accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage that might arise from opening the message or any attachments. 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