medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Thanks for these responses. I've tried to digest the new information, and
am hungry for more. The evidence from the art world thus far seems to me
to suggest that:
1. Most depictions from the 6th century onward assume the codex format for
the gospels and other written materials.
2. The exceptions fall into at least three categories:
2.1 Rolled up scrolls, whether in someone's hand (Paul, Ravenna Arian
baptistry and 4th century catacomb; God to Moses, Ravenna San Vitale) or
deposited in a capsa (Matthew and Luke, Ravenna San Vitale; Paul in
catacomb image; women in Domitilla catacomb), typically near the left foot
(capsa) and/or in the left hand, similar to Roman funerary statuary from
the first century CE or perhaps earlier -- interestingly, all the capsa
depictions except the catacomb image of Paul also include images of
open codices (some have suggested that the artists intend a contrast
between Jewish scrolls [closed up] and Christian codices [open] -- do
any of the "Church and Synagogue" depictions show "Synagogue" holding a
scroll? Or "Church" with a codex book?).
2.2 Unrolled strips in vertical (rotulus) format, with writing visible to
show that the reading goes across the width (Spello Matthew and Mark in
the Coronation Gospels).
2.3 Unrolled strips that could be understood as rotuli, except that the
writing (if there is any visible) occurs in a single line that goes along
the length of the strip, unlike ancient scrolls in horizontal format which
normally had adjacent columns of writing (Rossano Mark; some "Tree of
Jesse" depictions).
Thus what I have not yet seen in the Christian art world is a
representation of an ancient horizontal format scroll being handled in the
expected posture (e.g. with rolled up sections on each side) and/or
showing columns of writing similar to adjacent book pages. The closest
I've come to such an image is the 3rd century CE sarcophagus at the Church
of St. Maria Antiqua (my "Slide20"), and even there it is not absolutely
clear whether a literary scroll (read horizontally) or a rotulus (read
vertically) is intended -- at least, the holder seems to have rolled up
portions on both sides of the exposed roll, unless he is (also?) holding
blocks to keep the surface flat.
All suggestions and URLs to images are gratefully accepted!
Bob Kraft, UPenn
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> From: jbugslag <[log in to unmask]>
>
> >> http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/temp/toronto2/jpgs/toronto2-2007.html
>
> > Dear Bob,
> > Thanks for posting this!
>
>
> yes, it's quite an extraordinary ms --even more extraordinary when that
> "pre-800" date (which i was not aware of) is considered.
>
> in other words, it is contemporary with the Godescalc Gospels and the other,
> earliest (crudest), works of the "Carolingian Renaissance."
>
> the work of a Greek with itchy feet, obviously.
>
> >> I am struck by ... Matthew's rotulus in the Cappella Tega at Spello (my
> "Slide07" taken from catholic-resources.org/Photos/Spello.htm).
>
>
> > One possibility that occurs to me to explain why Matthew holds a rotulus
> here while the other Evangelists hold codices, relates to Matthew's genealogy
> of Christ.
>
>
> as we see in all the "Tree of Jesse" depictions --those guys are always
> holding rolls/scrolls, never books.
>
> >In the later Middle Ages genealogies were one of the few literary forms that
> were still produced in a rotulus format.
>
>
> didn't know that.
>
> the rotulus was also the preferred format for the "Rouleaux des Morts", which
> have been given a nice new edition by Jean Dufour:
>
> Jean Dufour.
> Recueil des rouleaux des morts : (VIIIe siècle-vers 1536) / publié sous la
> direction de Jean Favier par Jean Dufour.
> Paris : Diffusion de Boccard, 2005-
> Series: Recueil des historiens de la France. Obituaires. Série in-4o ; t. 8.
>
>
> only two vols have appeared so far (i don't know how many are projected):
>
> I: VIIIe s. - 1180
> II: 1181-1399
>
> and there is no introductory material nor index.
>
> however, Dufour is *such* an excellent scholar (his edition of the _Recueil
> des Actes de Louis VI_ is quite spectacular and exhaustive) that the critical
> apparatus (and the edtions themselves) are a pleasure to read, in themselves.
>
>
> >> http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/apr2006.html (thanks again,
> John Dillon). Moses even receives a scroll from on high in 6th century
> Ravenna, where Mark has a codex (my "Slide12" -- I need a clearer
> image of the Moses scene!).
>
>
> > St Luke in the S. Vitale mosaics holds a codex but has a capsum full of
> rotuli at his feet.
>
>
> well, i'm working on a computer, but i'm in a library (or what's left of it,
> spared by the Lieberry Scientists who run it now), surrounded by old-fashioned
> hard-copy books.
>
> old Habits die Hard.
>
> c
>
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--
Robert A. Kraft, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania
227 Logan Hall (Philadelphia PA 19104-6304); tel. 215 898-5827
[log in to unmask]
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html
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