Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 453-459).

The extensive survival of late medieval bosses in the roofs of many parish churches in Devon has long been recognised. These carvings escaped the widespread destruction of images during the Reformation through their relative inaccessibility, and yet most have never before been recorded; nor has systematic study been made of their design, their positioning within a sacred space, or the ways in which they may have been viewed and used by a largely illiterate audience. This thesis rectifies this oversight in its detailed documentation and photography of figural roof bosses and contextual information from 121 churches across the county, appended as a gazetteer, and in its thorough analysis, which considers the varied interactions between the people of the parish and their carvings. The thesis reviews the literature on roof bosses in Britain, particularly the work of C.J.P. Cave whose studies have hitherto dominated the field, before considering materiality and method, namely the properties of oak, the dating of the timber, the carvers and the carving process, and the surface finish and visibility of roof bosses. The social, religious, and decorative context is then discussed, especially the role of ecclesiastical authorities in the life of the parish church and its people, and the motivation of patrons, clergy and laity in the decoration of their parish church. An exploration of motifs carved on roof bosses follows, with these motifs linked to other images within the parish church, the cathedral and the wider world, to the words of the sermon and the confessional, and to scriptural texts and popular literature. Medieval understandings of vision are considered, as are the circumstances in which roof bosses may have been seen and used. The thesis argues, in particular, that many bosses may have served as mnemonic devices and aids to prayer in a penitential process which sought to cure the soul of sin. The thesis concludes with case studies of six parish churches from across Devon which confirm that these carvings should be recognised as a significant resource for our understanding of the late medieval parish church and its people in the Diocese of Exeter and beyond.

No description available.

Text in English and abstract in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu / This archaeozoological study was undertaken to distinguish between the two hare species of South Africa, Lepus capensis (Cape hare) and Lepus saxatilis (scrub hare), from fragmentary archaeological faunal remains. It was previously not possible to taxonomically differentiate between these species. The research focused on Lagomorpha remains previously identified in Later Stone Age assemblages from two rock shelters, Blydefontein and Meerkat, in the Karoo. Analyses of modern skeletal material housed in museum collections demonstrated that there are indeed morphological and morphometric differences between Lepus capensis and Lepus saxatilis. The Lagomorpha material from the two archaeological assemblages were then re-examined utilising the newly established protocols. The reanalyses proved that it is now possible to distinguish between the two hare species even when in fragmentary form. It is also possible to identify Pronolagus. The dietary and likely cultural roles of the Lagomorpha and other small mammals in archaeological contexts are also explored. / Hierdie argeosoölogiese studie is onderneem om te onderskei tussen die twee haasspesies in Suid-Afrika, Lepus capensis (vlakhaas) en Lepus saxatilis (kolhaas), aan die hand van gefragmenteerde argeologiese fauna-oorblyfsels. Dit was nie voorheen moontlik om hierdie spesies taksonomies van mekaar te onderskei nie. Die navorsing fokus op Lagomorpha-oorblyfsels wat voorheen geïdentifiseer is in rotsskuiling-versamelings wat uit die Laat Steentydperk dateer. Die genoemde rotsskuilings is gevind by Blydefontein en Meerkat in die Karoo. Ontledings van moderne skeletmateriaal in museumversamelings het getoon dat daar wel morfologiese en morfometriese verskille tussen Lepus capensis en Lepus saxatilis is. Lagomorpha-materiaal afkomstig van die twee argeologiese versamelings is toe herondersoek aan die hand van nuut gevestigde protokolle. Die herontledings het bewys dat dit nou moontlik is om te onderskei tussen die twee haasspesies, selfs indien hulle gefragmenteerd is. Dit is ook moontlik om Pronolagus te identifiseer. Die rolle wat die Lagomorpha en ander klein soogdiere in argeologiese kontekste in dieet en kultuur vervul het, is ook ondersoek. / Ucwaningo maqondana nezitho zomzimba ezisalayo uma isilwane sesifile lwenziwelwa ukuba kukwazeke ukuhlukanisa phakathi kwalezi zinhlobo ezimbili zonogwaja eNingizimu Afrika, okuyiLepus capensis kanye neLepus saxatilis ngokubheka izingcucu zezinsalela zazo. Kwakungelula kudala ukuhlukanisa lezi zinhlobo zesilwane ngokwamaqoqo okwakheka noma okwenza kwazo. Ucwaningo lugxile kwizinsalela zohlobo lweLagomorpha olwaluvame ukubonakala ngenkathi yakudala okwakusetshenziswa kuyo amatshe ukwakha izinto (iStone Age) emiphemeni emibili eyayakhiwe ngamadwala eyayihlangene eyayaziwa ngokuthi yiBlydefontein neMeerkat esigodini esisagwadule esiseNingizimu Afrika, iKaroo. Ukuhlaziywa kwezingebhezi zemizimba yezinto ezigcinwe kwizigcinamagugu lwaveza ukuthi impela ukhona umehluko ekwakhekeni kanye nasezilinganisweni zogebhezi lwekhanda ngokomumo kumbe ugebhezi lwesiqu somzimba phakathi konogwaja abawuhlobo lweLepus capensis neLepus sexatilis. Uhlobo lweLagomorpha lwasesakhiweni semipheme ehlangene lwabe seluhlolwa kabusha kusetshenziswa izinhlobo ezintsha eziseqophelweni. Ukuhlaziywa kabusha kwaveza ubufakazi bokuthi sekuyinto engenzeka kalula ukuhlukanisa phakathi kwalezi zinhlobo ezimbili zonogwaja ngisho ngabe sezitholakala sezingcezungcezu. Kuyinto engenzeka kalula futhi ukubona uhlobo lwePronolagus. Indlela yokudla kanye nemisebenzi ehambisana nosikompilo kohlobo lweLagomorpha kanye nezinye izilwane ezincelisayo nakho kuyabhekwa. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Archaeology)