| Moderator/Chairs: | Luigi Campi, Dipartimento di Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Milano
Pietro Delcorno, School of Languages, Cultures & Societies, University of Leeds / School of Literature, Language & Media, University of the Witwatersrand |
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| Abstract | Paper -a:
La scrittura è memoria. A volte lo è in modo involontario, altre volte si scrive con il preciso scopo di essere ricordati. Questo è particolarmente vero nel Basso Medioevo, un periodo in cui si formano scritture dell'uso quotidiano fortemente legate alla categoria da cui lo scrivente proviene e alle quali quindi egli è particolarmente legato. Lo scrivere quindi diventa in questi secoli non solamente un modo per lasciare traccia di sé attraverso graffiti o colophon ma è la propria specifica grafia che si vuole tramandare, non solo il proprio nome ma una traccia vera e tangibile di sé.
Paper -b:
People in the Middle Ages wanted to stay remembered, not to be forgotten as they believed that if somebody was still remembering them, and especially praying for them, they would spend less time in purgatory and their sins will be forgiven. And nobody wants to be forgotten. Their way how to stay remembered was often through their last wills where they were asking monks in monasteries to pray for them, or that on the cup for the church should be written their name, that on the anniversary of their death the towns bells should be ringing, etc. My paper will be focusing on many creative ways how medieval townsmen tried to stay in memory of others in the Late Middle Ages, as well as how they were identifying with their town. One of the main sources will be last wills of medieval townsfolk, through which I would like to show that medieval men and women on their deathbed were mostly highly religious people who were trying to take care of their families and states and also of their immortal soul. In their last wills people were donating money, properties, and estates to the religious institutions as churches, monasteries, hospitals, and schools. Most of the money went to the churches and were used to take care of the building or to decorations because churches were seen as one of the most important building in the city and they were pride of the city. I would like to show on examples from Bohemia how they were trying to find their way to stay in memory of others and why.
Paper -c:
As unique and precious object, a jewel could be very representative of the particular person who wore it. Due to this reason, in the Late Middle Ages jewellery often served as a gift, that, depending on circumstances, could convey sentimental, political and devotional meanings. To donate jewels became therefore a way to be remembered. In fact, it is possible to notice on several medieval jewels inscriptions or symbolic ornaments, referring both to the act of remembering and to the donor. This paper investigates also materials and the way they were chosen and crafted, in order to guarantee the stimulation of tactile and olfactory memory, with a particular focus on late 14th- and 15th-century Italy.
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