The church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Vamvaka, Mesa (Inner) Mani is known for a carved inscription th... more The church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Vamvaka, Mesa (Inner) Mani is known for a carved inscription that records the name of the medieval sculptor Niketas and the date of his work's completion in 1075. Contained within the walls, pavement, and carved elements of the church are other names, however, which capture the village's history, from the ancient through modern periods. As such, the church plays a vital role in collective memory. The story of the church does not end in the Middle Ages, however. Through ongoing efforts to restore the building, this church offers hope for the village's future. Hagioi Theodoroi is not simply a relic of the late eleventh century, but a standing witness to the village's history as a thriving agricultural center, depopulated outpost, and potential tourist destination.
Les opinions exprimées dans cet ouvrage n'engagent que leurs auteurs. Composition Fabien Tessier ... more Les opinions exprimées dans cet ouvrage n'engagent que leurs auteurs. Composition Fabien Tessier Nous remercions chaleureusement l'Institut national d'histoire de l'art, et l'HiCSA (Histoire culturelle et sociale de l'art)-EA 4100 à l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, en particulier Zinaïda Polimenova et Antoine Scotto, d'avoir accueilli et accompagné les journées d'études à l'origine de cet ouvrage. L'image dans l'espace ecclésial : bilan historiographique et réflexions c oisées L'analyse des images dans l'espace ecclésial au Moyen Âge implique aujourd'hui une large prise en compte du contexte monumental et rituel. Depuis les années 1980, la recherche a bénéficié de l'apport des études sur la liturgie pour en faire un aspect prééminent dans l'analyse et l'interprétation des images. L'aire byzantine s'est révélée particulièrement réceptive à cette démarche, comme en témoignent les travaux
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection eBooks, 2006
Page 1. THRESHOLDS OF THE SACRED edited by Sharon £. J. Qerstel Page 2. Page 3. Page 4. EROM THE ... more Page 1. THRESHOLDS OF THE SACRED edited by Sharon £. J. Qerstel Page 2. Page 3. Page 4. EROM THE VEILS of the first-century Jewish temple, to the Orthodox :onostasis, to the tramezzi of Renais-sance Italy, screens ...
This is the first book to examine the late Byzantine peasantry through written, archaeological, e... more This is the first book to examine the late Byzantine peasantry through written, archaeological, ethnographic and painted sources. Investigations of the infrastructure and setting of the medieval village guide the reader into the consideration of specific populations. The village becomes a micro-society, with its own social and economic hierarchies. In addition to studying agricultural workers, mothers and priests, lesser-known individuals, such as the miller and witch, are revealed through written and painted sources. Placed at the center of a new scholarly landscape, the study of the medieval villager engages a broad spectrum of theorists, including economic historians creating predictive models for agrarian economies, ethnoarchaeologists addressing historical continuities and disjunctions, and scholars examining power and female agency.
Page 1. Painted Sources for Female Piety in Medieval Byzantium SHARON EJ GERSTEL As a primary sou... more Page 1. Painted Sources for Female Piety in Medieval Byzantium SHARON EJ GERSTEL As a primary source, Byzantine monumental decoration has much to reveal about the devotional practices of medieval women. The careful ...
discussions of the chapel, stating that: 'a multifaceted confection such as the Cappella Palatina... more discussions of the chapel, stating that: 'a multifaceted confection such as the Cappella Palatina was not merely a receiver of influence, but was also a source and transmitter of influence itself' (236). During Roger's reign, the western part of the chapel functioned as a reception hall with monumental inscriptions in Arabic drawn from Fāṭimid models. Mosaics were added to the nave and aisles by his successors, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the lives of the Apostles Peter and Paul, complementing those already in place in the sanctuary, which Metcalfe signals as further 'Christianizing' the space. At the same time, the kings delighted in their luxurious suburban palaces and adopted other trappings of Islamic rulers. Overall, Metcalfe sides with the notion that the ideological import of various appropriations remains multivalent and ambiguous. Palermo was second only to Toledo in translating literary and scientific works, yet Metcalfe underlines that these translations were unidirectional: from Arabic and Greek into the prestige language of Latin. Nonetheless, perhaps the most notable intellectual product of the court remains al-Idrīsī's geographical compendium known as the Book of Roger, commissioned in Arabic and completed in 1154. An additional chapter looks to the position of Muslim eunuchs within the inner circle of the court, who, despite their relative power, were often placed in precarious positions, as witnessed in the execution of George of Antioch's successor Philip of Mahdīya in 1153. By the death of William II, any notion of pluralism in the kingdom had long since been eroded and Muslim riots broke out soon after. The final chapter serves as an epilogue in which Frederick II arranged the transportation of the Sicilian Muslims to Lucera in Apulia. The dismantlement of the settlement by the Angevin Charles II of Naples in 1300 brought the Muslim presence on Italian soil to an effective end. In conclusion, Metcalfe's book is an important addition to the field, and renders the history of Muslims in medieval Italy readily accessible to Anglophone readers. The pioneering work of the nineteenth-century Sicilian orientalist Michele Amari (1806-1889) and the fundamental groundwork laid by him in the collection of primary sources of the Biblioteca arabo-sicula (1857-1887) and the masterful Storia dei musulmani di Sicilia (1854-1872) has long dominated the historiographical landscape.
A round the year 890 the Byzantine emperor Leo VI inherited vast properties in the northern Pelop... more A round the year 890 the Byzantine emperor Leo VI inherited vast properties in the northern Peloponnese. The contents of the bequest , which were inventoried by an imperial official , included gold coins , silver and gold vessels , copper objects , textiles , flocks of sheep , landed properties , and more than three thousand slaves. 1 Economic historians have analyzed this bequest in order to discuss issues of land ownership , cloth production , and slavery in the middle Byzantine period , particularly in the Empire's hinterlands. 2 But the inheritance-as a legal transaction-raises other questions that are of immediate concern for this volume , for the testator was a woman who had disinherited her own grandson in favor of the ruling emperor. 3 The seemingly independent financial position of women such as the Peloponnesian Danelis is at odds with the cliché of the impoverished widow , best exemplified by the Gospel story of the widow's mite , 4 a tale that was picked up by Byzantine authors including John Moschos. 5 Yet , as the story of Danelis illustrates , widows were in a legal position to control their own property and wealth , which in some cases was substantial. This aspect of the story , which has been ignored by scholars , is the focus of this contribution. This paper examines the involvement of widows in the construction or renovation of churches and monasteries , either as primary benefactors or as more modest contributors to village foundations. Owing to the uneven preservation of sources , both written and material , our focus will necessarily fall on late Byzantium , evoking comparisons from the middle Byzantine period when available. The ability of widows to participate in church foundation , as we shall see , reflected the strong juridical rites of widows in Byzantium and their critical position within families where they served , on occasion , as heads of household. As
An the last two decades a number of articles have been written about female monasticism in Byzant... more An the last two decades a number of articles have been written about female monasticism in Byzantium. A wide range of sources, including monastic foundation documents, preserved buildings, and funerary effigies, enables us to draw a fairly accurate image of the nun's spiritual life, to reconstruct (potentially) her architectural setting, and to view a deliberately idealized portrait of her physical appearance 1. An examination of the written sources, both primary and secondary, has led scholars to conclude that female monasticism, in Byzantium, was primarily an urban phenomenon. In many ways, the study of known works of art has favored the same conclusion. The notion that Byzantine nuns were largely urban creatures, however, rests on the type of sources that have been available to date. Anthony Bryer, Alice-Mary Talbot and Dorothy Abrahamse, for example, have used Raymond Janin's studies of ecclesiastical foundations in Byzantium's large population centers and holy mountains to pinpoint the locations of monasteries and convents within the empire 2. After compiling statistics from Janin's Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Paris 1975), Talbot, for one, concluded that there was a "startling paucity of nunneries outside the capital, only 17 over a period of eleven centuries" 3. At the same time, she acknowledged that Janin's compilation, published posthumously and in unfinished form (limited to the regions of Bithynia, Hellespont, Mt. Latros, Mt. Galesion, Trebizond, Athens and Thessalonike), offered an incomplete set of data for statistical analysis. Acci-Investigation of the Constantinopolitan nunnery of Constantine Lips, for example, would allow for a synthetic approach to urban nunneries. Preserved "sources" include the foundation document (
The church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Vamvaka, Mesa (Inner) Mani is known for a carved inscription th... more The church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Vamvaka, Mesa (Inner) Mani is known for a carved inscription that records the name of the medieval sculptor Niketas and the date of his work's completion in 1075. Contained within the walls, pavement, and carved elements of the church are other names, however, which capture the village's history, from the ancient through modern periods. As such, the church plays a vital role in collective memory. The story of the church does not end in the Middle Ages, however. Through ongoing efforts to restore the building, this church offers hope for the village's future. Hagioi Theodoroi is not simply a relic of the late eleventh century, but a standing witness to the village's history as a thriving agricultural center, depopulated outpost, and potential tourist destination.
Les opinions exprimées dans cet ouvrage n'engagent que leurs auteurs. Composition Fabien Tessier ... more Les opinions exprimées dans cet ouvrage n'engagent que leurs auteurs. Composition Fabien Tessier Nous remercions chaleureusement l'Institut national d'histoire de l'art, et l'HiCSA (Histoire culturelle et sociale de l'art)-EA 4100 à l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, en particulier Zinaïda Polimenova et Antoine Scotto, d'avoir accueilli et accompagné les journées d'études à l'origine de cet ouvrage. L'image dans l'espace ecclésial : bilan historiographique et réflexions c oisées L'analyse des images dans l'espace ecclésial au Moyen Âge implique aujourd'hui une large prise en compte du contexte monumental et rituel. Depuis les années 1980, la recherche a bénéficié de l'apport des études sur la liturgie pour en faire un aspect prééminent dans l'analyse et l'interprétation des images. L'aire byzantine s'est révélée particulièrement réceptive à cette démarche, comme en témoignent les travaux
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection eBooks, 2006
Page 1. THRESHOLDS OF THE SACRED edited by Sharon £. J. Qerstel Page 2. Page 3. Page 4. EROM THE ... more Page 1. THRESHOLDS OF THE SACRED edited by Sharon £. J. Qerstel Page 2. Page 3. Page 4. EROM THE VEILS of the first-century Jewish temple, to the Orthodox :onostasis, to the tramezzi of Renais-sance Italy, screens ...
This is the first book to examine the late Byzantine peasantry through written, archaeological, e... more This is the first book to examine the late Byzantine peasantry through written, archaeological, ethnographic and painted sources. Investigations of the infrastructure and setting of the medieval village guide the reader into the consideration of specific populations. The village becomes a micro-society, with its own social and economic hierarchies. In addition to studying agricultural workers, mothers and priests, lesser-known individuals, such as the miller and witch, are revealed through written and painted sources. Placed at the center of a new scholarly landscape, the study of the medieval villager engages a broad spectrum of theorists, including economic historians creating predictive models for agrarian economies, ethnoarchaeologists addressing historical continuities and disjunctions, and scholars examining power and female agency.
Page 1. Painted Sources for Female Piety in Medieval Byzantium SHARON EJ GERSTEL As a primary sou... more Page 1. Painted Sources for Female Piety in Medieval Byzantium SHARON EJ GERSTEL As a primary source, Byzantine monumental decoration has much to reveal about the devotional practices of medieval women. The careful ...
discussions of the chapel, stating that: 'a multifaceted confection such as the Cappella Palatina... more discussions of the chapel, stating that: 'a multifaceted confection such as the Cappella Palatina was not merely a receiver of influence, but was also a source and transmitter of influence itself' (236). During Roger's reign, the western part of the chapel functioned as a reception hall with monumental inscriptions in Arabic drawn from Fāṭimid models. Mosaics were added to the nave and aisles by his successors, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the lives of the Apostles Peter and Paul, complementing those already in place in the sanctuary, which Metcalfe signals as further 'Christianizing' the space. At the same time, the kings delighted in their luxurious suburban palaces and adopted other trappings of Islamic rulers. Overall, Metcalfe sides with the notion that the ideological import of various appropriations remains multivalent and ambiguous. Palermo was second only to Toledo in translating literary and scientific works, yet Metcalfe underlines that these translations were unidirectional: from Arabic and Greek into the prestige language of Latin. Nonetheless, perhaps the most notable intellectual product of the court remains al-Idrīsī's geographical compendium known as the Book of Roger, commissioned in Arabic and completed in 1154. An additional chapter looks to the position of Muslim eunuchs within the inner circle of the court, who, despite their relative power, were often placed in precarious positions, as witnessed in the execution of George of Antioch's successor Philip of Mahdīya in 1153. By the death of William II, any notion of pluralism in the kingdom had long since been eroded and Muslim riots broke out soon after. The final chapter serves as an epilogue in which Frederick II arranged the transportation of the Sicilian Muslims to Lucera in Apulia. The dismantlement of the settlement by the Angevin Charles II of Naples in 1300 brought the Muslim presence on Italian soil to an effective end. In conclusion, Metcalfe's book is an important addition to the field, and renders the history of Muslims in medieval Italy readily accessible to Anglophone readers. The pioneering work of the nineteenth-century Sicilian orientalist Michele Amari (1806-1889) and the fundamental groundwork laid by him in the collection of primary sources of the Biblioteca arabo-sicula (1857-1887) and the masterful Storia dei musulmani di Sicilia (1854-1872) has long dominated the historiographical landscape.
A round the year 890 the Byzantine emperor Leo VI inherited vast properties in the northern Pelop... more A round the year 890 the Byzantine emperor Leo VI inherited vast properties in the northern Peloponnese. The contents of the bequest , which were inventoried by an imperial official , included gold coins , silver and gold vessels , copper objects , textiles , flocks of sheep , landed properties , and more than three thousand slaves. 1 Economic historians have analyzed this bequest in order to discuss issues of land ownership , cloth production , and slavery in the middle Byzantine period , particularly in the Empire's hinterlands. 2 But the inheritance-as a legal transaction-raises other questions that are of immediate concern for this volume , for the testator was a woman who had disinherited her own grandson in favor of the ruling emperor. 3 The seemingly independent financial position of women such as the Peloponnesian Danelis is at odds with the cliché of the impoverished widow , best exemplified by the Gospel story of the widow's mite , 4 a tale that was picked up by Byzantine authors including John Moschos. 5 Yet , as the story of Danelis illustrates , widows were in a legal position to control their own property and wealth , which in some cases was substantial. This aspect of the story , which has been ignored by scholars , is the focus of this contribution. This paper examines the involvement of widows in the construction or renovation of churches and monasteries , either as primary benefactors or as more modest contributors to village foundations. Owing to the uneven preservation of sources , both written and material , our focus will necessarily fall on late Byzantium , evoking comparisons from the middle Byzantine period when available. The ability of widows to participate in church foundation , as we shall see , reflected the strong juridical rites of widows in Byzantium and their critical position within families where they served , on occasion , as heads of household. As
An the last two decades a number of articles have been written about female monasticism in Byzant... more An the last two decades a number of articles have been written about female monasticism in Byzantium. A wide range of sources, including monastic foundation documents, preserved buildings, and funerary effigies, enables us to draw a fairly accurate image of the nun's spiritual life, to reconstruct (potentially) her architectural setting, and to view a deliberately idealized portrait of her physical appearance 1. An examination of the written sources, both primary and secondary, has led scholars to conclude that female monasticism, in Byzantium, was primarily an urban phenomenon. In many ways, the study of known works of art has favored the same conclusion. The notion that Byzantine nuns were largely urban creatures, however, rests on the type of sources that have been available to date. Anthony Bryer, Alice-Mary Talbot and Dorothy Abrahamse, for example, have used Raymond Janin's studies of ecclesiastical foundations in Byzantium's large population centers and holy mountains to pinpoint the locations of monasteries and convents within the empire 2. After compiling statistics from Janin's Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Paris 1975), Talbot, for one, concluded that there was a "startling paucity of nunneries outside the capital, only 17 over a period of eleven centuries" 3. At the same time, she acknowledged that Janin's compilation, published posthumously and in unfinished form (limited to the regions of Bithynia, Hellespont, Mt. Latros, Mt. Galesion, Trebizond, Athens and Thessalonike), offered an incomplete set of data for statistical analysis. Acci-Investigation of the Constantinopolitan nunnery of Constantine Lips, for example, would allow for a synthetic approach to urban nunneries. Preserved "sources" include the foundation document (
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