medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Just to be pedantic, but this is an interesting story, and I look forward to
hearing comments on this notion of the cross as an anti public urination
measure.
The bbc link on medieval toilets in Paris, is as follows:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2960146.stm
Note the only difference is a one and not a two.
Surely this was just temptation too good to resist to any passing rebellious
youth or to anyone disgruntled with their lot, or with the powers-that-be.
For this reason the idea seems more than a little spurious, and raises a
fascinating question about the degree to which the 'medieval street' held
the cross in fearful awe. It raises another about the willingness and
ability of city authorities to enforce such injunctions.
Is it not more likely that these are political images of some kind,
especially as the identically dressed individuals with large keys in the
first image instantly made me think of cardinals, although their costumes do
not, admittedly, stand up to close examination on this score. And why are
the unrinators, including the one who seems to have been killed, both
wearing the same blue costumes, and apparently, the same hats. This looks
like two particular groups to me, one whose members respect the cross and
all it symbolises, and another who, very evidently, do not.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Magary" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 10:19 PM
Subject: [M-R] Don't urinate on the cross?
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Sorry for the provocative subjectline, but it has to do with the
> use of the cross on walls in at least one locality, perhaps
> Paris, to mark places where urination was not allowed. A post
> on BritArch about medieval t.p. (moss, apparently) led me to a
> BBC news story, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2960146.stm.
> The story reproduces has two illustrations from an unidentified
> medieval MS displayed in a recent exhibition in Paris. On show
> was the fairly fancy toilet used by Jean sans Peur (John the
> Fearless), Duke of Burgundy 1404-19.
>
> To get to the bottom of this, perhaps someone on the list can
> identify these illustrations?
>
> Cheers,
> Al Magary
>
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