Between Representation and Eternity: The Archaeology of Praying in Late Medieval and Post-Medieval times

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore how prayer and praying practice are reflected in archaeological sources. Apart from objects directly involved in the personal act of praying, such as rosaries and praying books, churches and religious foundations played a major role in the medieval system of intercession. At death, an individual's corpse and burial primarily reflect the social act of representation during the funeral. The position of the arms, which have incorrectly been used as a chronological tool in Scandinavia, may indicate an evolution from a more collective act of prayer up to the eleventh century AD to a more individual way of praying in the late and post-medieval periods.

The people of the Cambridge Austin friars

“…In general, the arms/hands were arranged symmetrically, although there are exceptions. In some instances the arms were placed along the sides of the body (7), whilst in others they were crossed with the hands over either the area of the hips/abdomen (13) or chest (10), including some in positions that have been interpreted elsewhere as mimicking praying (Atzbach 2016 ). At the Cambridge Austin friars arms along the side of the body are generally related to burial without girdle buckles that were presumably shrouded although there are exceptions, and all arm positions are associated with burials with associated girdle buckles that are assumed to have been clothed.…”

An Archaeology of Early Christianity in Vanuatu

“…Älkäs and Salmi 2013;Andrén 2013;Jonuks and Kurisoo 2009;Lund 2013;Sawicki et al 2015), as well as continuing transformations in the postmedieval period (e.g. Atzback 2015;Graves 2009;Petts 2011). An even richer archaeological literature of Christian expansion exists in the colonial context (e.g.…”

Sherds of Paradise: Domestic Archaeology and Ceramic Artefacts from a Protestant Mission in the South Pacific

“…The Protestant Reformation likewise was a material process, both in the realm of dramatic events (e.g. the sacking of monasteries and other religious institutions), and more gradual processes (such as trends towards less elaborate religious architecture, rejection of relics, reliquaries, and religious icons, or changing burial patterns; Atzback, 2015). Protestant expansion was associated not only with a changing religious ideology, but also with emerging political-economic institutions, notably capitalism (Weber, 2002(Weber, [1905), and again there is an archaeological signature for this (e.g.…”