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IMC 2006: Sessions

Session 702: Islands of the World and the Seven Seas in Medieval Myth and History, I

Tuesday 11 July 2006, 14.15-15.45

Sponsor:Oswald von Wolkenstein-Gesellschaft / Associazione di Cultura Medioevale, Trieste
Organiser:Sieglinde Hartmann, Oswald von Wolkenstein-Gesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main
Moderator/Chair:Sieglinde Hartmann, Oswald von Wolkenstein-Gesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main
Paper 702-aIslands in Celtic Myths and Medieval Literature: Avalon
(Language: English)
Paola Schulze-Belli, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Uomo, Università degli studi di Trieste
Index terms: Language and Literature - Celtic, Mentalities
Paper 702-bThe Island of Cyprus
(Language: English)
Maria Elisabeth Dorninger, Institut für Germanistik, Universität Salzburg
Index terms: Language and Literature - Comparative, Mentalities
Paper 702-cFar Eastern Islands and its Myths: Japan
(Language: English)
Yuko Tagaya, Department of Literature, Kanto-Gakuin University, Yokohama
Index terms: Language and Literature - Other, Mentalities
Abstract

The first two sessions successfully start a new investigation into medieval perception of islands and the possible impact that history, environment, and myths had on constructing world images during the Middle Ages. A third question of equal importance: What kind of impact had news about insular wonderlands on the reasons why medieval men and women undertook their various missions, searches, and explorations that finally led to the discovery of the New World?

One of the aims of the new project will be finally to detect some of the hitherto hidden sources of Western development and imaginations, a source that is still active in imagining ever-new islands of unspoiled nature and perfect happiness.

The whole project is planned to run (at least) through 2007. Following sessions are designed to explore all relevant islands of Western and Eastern World that shaped the mind of medieval people.