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The Hours of Edith G. Rosenwald (c.1340–80) is a small book of hours in the Rosenwald Collection at the Library of Congress. Despite unique iconography and luxurious illuminations, this manuscript has so far received little scholarly attention. This thesis analyzes the size and iconography of the Rosenwald Hours to suggest that it was designed for a specific owner and function. No surviving documentation gives evidence of ownership, yet the standard program of miniatures was changed to suit a specific audience. The manuscript’s iconographic program and stylistic treatment are here considered in the context of contemporary books made for women, particularly women of the royal court in Paris, to suggest a likely audience. One of only a few extant miniature books of hours, the Rosenwald Hours is a valuable tool for looking at the place of small manuscripts in medieval society. This thesis examines the physical size, the iconography, and the inclusion of saint portraits as indicators of a function beyond the standard devotional use. A case is made for the manuscript’s connection to pilgrimage and to protective amulets. Combined with the assessment of its iconography, this study suggests an owner and intended use for miniature books of hours that provides a new way to look at these manuscripts, from obscure Flemish examples to the famous Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux. / text

Since the 19th century archaeologists have found different types om amulet rings on various dig sites around Scandinavia with the biggest concentration in the Mälardal area. It is an object connect to old Viking age and Vendel period societies found from time to time during archaeological excavations. The problem with the amulet rings is, that the scientists don’t know how to fully interpret these artefacts. The common belief is that amulet rings are object connected to religious practice and the pagan cult. The purpose of this essay is to give the amulet rings a larger meaning and try to put new light on them, to widen the understanding of the object and to point out that more than religion can be interpreted around the artefacts and the context they are preserved in. This will put the rings in a more social sphere and widen the meaning and use of the object and the understanding of the Viking people. This essay is written with an intention to give a broader image surrounding the social role of the amulet rings in Viking age societies. This will be done through a descriptive and investigative mapping of the micro contexts of the amulet rings. The archaeological sites that will be used to do so are Lilla Ullevi and Kalvshälla in Uppland with a contextual approach as a theoretical perspective. In this essay, it has been shown that the sites have used the amulet rings to find religious connections in the Viking age and Vendel period complexes by schematically interpreting the rings as religious objects instead of seeing the possibilities in the material. Even if religion seems to be present the distribution of the rings indicates a larger scale of social use and not only religious actions. The result is that the ring is more flexible and complex then previously thought and more in-depth research into amulet rings is needed to fully understand the object and to use them in bigger archaeological interpretations.

Artefacts known as amulet rings, a kind of Viking age jewellery, have often been encountered during archaeological excavations of Viking Age sites. The rings do not appear to have any practical use, but are rather considered to be of cultural or religious importance. Their exact function is however unclear, as are the details regarding the production and material choices for the rings.This study mainly examines the microstructure of samples from Viking Age amulet rings found in Dalecarlia, Sweden. To be able to conclude how much effort that was put into the rings a comparison with medieval cutting tools was conducted. Thus, the knives were made with more care in order to obtain the material properties required to give the knives the sharpness and hardness they need to function. The analysis shows that the amulet rings were made from heterogeneous low-carbon steel, indicating little or no welding and a poor-quality starting material. Were as the microstructure of the knives had homogeneous microstructures often involving perlite, showing decent carbon content.Thus, it appears that the Viking Age smiths forged the amulet rings without putting too much effort into the process.This study also involved the manufacturing of a new knife from low-carbon steel, this was done to see if it was possible to redeem carbon into the surface while forging. This however, was difficult when not having todays technical equipment at hand, thus the result was insufficient. / Historiska föremål, kallade amulett ringar vilket är ett slags vikingatida smycken, har hittats vid arkeologiska utgrävningar av vikingatida boplatser. Man har inte hittat något praktiskt användningsområde för ringarna, utan de tros vara av kulturell eller religiös betydelse. Deras funktion är dock oklar, likaså detaljerna angående tillverkningen och materialvalet för ringarna.Denna studie undersöker mikrostrukturen av amulett ringar från Dalarna i Sverige. För att kunna dra slutsatser om hur mycket arbete som lades på ringarna genomförs en jämförelse med medeltida eggverktyg. Eftersom eggverktyg gjordes med omsorg för att få rätt materialegenskaper för att vara vassa och hårda kan man jämföra dessa med ringarna. Analyserna visade att amulett ringarna var gjorda av lågkolhaltigt heterogent stål som indikerar enbart lite eller ingen vällning och ett dåligt utgångsmaterial. Tillskillnad från eggverktygen som uppvisade en homogen mikrostruktur som ofta innehöll perlit vilket tyder på relativt hög kolhalt. Följaktligen framstår det som att vikingatida smeder inte la ned särskilt mycket tid i smidesprocessen vid tillverkningen av amulett ringar.Denna studie innefattar också smidet av en ny kniv från ett lågkolhaltigt stål för att se om det är möjligt att lösa in kol i ytan genom smidet. Detta var dock svårt att göra utan dagens tekniska utrustning vilket gjorde att resultatet inte visade någon uppkolning.

The work introduces the reader into the etic definition of magic and into the Mandaean emic definition. Author chronologically and phenomenologically systematizes history of Western scholarship of Mandaic magical texts and then he deals with them phenomenologically, philologically and according to religious studies. He refers to the methods which should be used during the examination of these findings and he points out the phenomena, which are to be noted. In some cases, he reffers to non-Mandaic magical texts and he also seeks for their possible influence on the Mandaic texts. Author uses the primary texts in Mandaic and secondary literature especially in English and German.

<p>Mainly focusing on the big picture regarding the research concerning the religious sphere in Bronze Age Scandinavia, the research field has been missing out on the smaller picture. The results have a tendency to produce a picture where the big landscape monuments, social structures and cosmology appear in the foreground. This essay is a comment to this phenomena and a methodological and terminological discussion regarding the way in which we as archaeologist’s works with questions about religion and rites. The main task though is to make an attempt in trying to identify the ritual performers and to answer the question whether it's possible or not to do that. This kind of work needs empirical studies with a theoretical background. The grave material can be the key to find these individuals since it's a context where the person’s belongings can be connected with the individual. The theoretical stance is that the Bronze Age research has been unable to identify these performers and that this in factcan be done. The etuis of belongings discovered for the first time in 1845 with the archaeological excavation of the Hvidegaard grave outside Copenhagen in Denmark, containing objects referred to as magical objects, can be one way to make these actors of rites come alive.The etuis of belongings and other grave material are presented in this work and a discussion about the graves material is made. The approach to study the bigger picture by studying the small empirical material is also made in this essay where a model of the ritual sphere is presented in the results with an attempt to show a none official cult existing side by side and in interaction with the official one.</p>

Mainly focusing on the big picture regarding the research concerning the religious sphere in Bronze Age Scandinavia, the research field has been missing out on the smaller picture. The results have a tendency to produce a picture where the big landscape monuments, social structures and cosmology appear in the foreground. This essay is a comment to this phenomena and a methodological and terminological discussion regarding the way in which we as archaeologist’s works with questions about religion and rites. The main task though is to make an attempt in trying to identify the ritual performers and to answer the question whether it's possible or not to do that. This kind of work needs empirical studies with a theoretical background. The grave material can be the key to find these individuals since it's a context where the person’s belongings can be connected with the individual. The theoretical stance is that the Bronze Age research has been unable to identify these performers and that this in factcan be done. The etuis of belongings discovered for the first time in 1845 with the archaeological excavation of the Hvidegaard grave outside Copenhagen in Denmark, containing objects referred to as magical objects, can be one way to make these actors of rites come alive.The etuis of belongings and other grave material are presented in this work and a discussion about the graves material is made. The approach to study the bigger picture by studying the small empirical material is also made in this essay where a model of the ritual sphere is presented in the results with an attempt to show a none official cult existing side by side and in interaction with the official one.

In the ancient world, magic and magical practice was in fact hugely common between people and within the society, different types of magical material has been proved to be importent instrument during those mysterious events. But how we see those ancient materials and how we read them is still one of the key questions that we cannot answer with our modern understanding. Yet, it is not totally impossible to try to solve this type of question. This study will be concerned with ancient amulets from the Roman world, and the time period will draw on the imperial period in ancient Rome. The amulet can be categorized into different types, depending on what subject and motives they are focusing on, for example, amulet to protect mothers during the childbirth is one of the common type of protecting amulet for women, because mortality rate for both mother and the child was extremely high during the ancient period; there’s even amulets that protect people from evil spirits, such as the evil eye, which will be explained in one of the chapter. In this case, this study will be focusing on one type named “bullae”, which is speculated to be used only by roman children. It will be interpret with ancient literature and modern researches, so we may be able to investigate a part of how and why ancient people were using magical materials in their common life, also what it could tell us about the society of ancient Rome, and at last, in which ways do we know that this type of thing can be recognize as “amulet” instead of other types of jewellery.

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En considérant le rôle important de la magie dans l’islam ainsi que dans les pays musulmans et en considérant éventuellement son rôle important dans la formation de l'univers symbolique de l'art islamique, l’étude des objets magiques peut être une nouvelle voie pour les historiens de l’art islamiques. Les travaux et les réflexions développés dans le cadre de cette thèse avaient un double objectif : d’une part, découvrir les sources thématiques et visuelles de l’univers symbolique des amulettes et talismans iraniens chiites. Ou en d’autres termes, trouver une réponse précise et claire à cette question à savoir si les éléments constituant l’iconographie des amulettes et talismans iraniens chiites sont proprement fondés sur les sources islamiques et les traditions des arabo-musulmans primitifs ? Sinon, pouvons-nous considérer d’autres sources pour ces éléments comme les mythes et les traditions artistiques plus anciennes de la Mésopotamie-Perse ? Et d’autre part, d’attirer l’attention des historiens de l’art islamique sur les thèmes des symboles – et leurs passés régionaux – figurant sur les objets magiques iraniens chiites spécifiquement et plus généralement sur l’art islamique.Ce travail, basé sur une étude stylistique et artistique ainsi qu’une étude thématique et comparative entre les éléments textuels et visuels figurant sur les 166 amulettes et talismans iraniens chiites – collectés de trois collections : des cachets, bulles et talismans islamiques du département des Monnaies, médailles et antiques de la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris, de la collection des objets du Musée du Quai Branly à Paris et de la collection des objets talismaniques iraniens (ou des objets magiques iraniens) du Musée civilisations Europe Méditerranée de Marseille (noté MuCEM) – à ceux dans l’art préislamique de la Mésopotamie-Perse. Ce travaille montre que les deux éléments textuels et picturaux sur ces objets possèdent une relation thématique fondée sur un point de vue cosmique et mythique préislamique. De plus, notre analyse démontre que la naissance de l’écriture décorative et figurative pouvait être le résultat d’un conflit idéologique-culturel entre les Arabo-musulmans conquérants et les intellectuels des pays vaincus. Notre étude démontre également que l’univers symbolique des amulettes et talismans iraniens chiites s’est formé sous l’influence des nombreux désaccords entre l’islam primitif importé par les Arabo-musulmans et les nouveaux musulmans des pays vaincus.Notre analyse s’est uniquement basée sur les trois collections de musées français et il serait indispensable de l’enrichir à partir d’autres pièces provenant d’autres musées de par le monde. / If we consider the important role of magic in Islam as well as in Muslim countries and possibly considering its important role in the making of the symbolic universe of Islamic art, the artistic study of magical items can be a new way for historians of Islamic art.The studies and comments developed in the framework of this thesis are two-fold: first, to discover the thematic and visual sources of the symbolic universe of Iranian Shiite amulets and talismans. Or in other words, to find a clear and precise answer to the question whether the composing elements of the iconography of Iranian Shiite amulets and talismans are strictly based on Islamic sources and primitive traditions of Arabic Muslim. Otherwise, can we consider other sources for these elements like the myths and the artistic traditions of oldest Mesopotamia and Persia?On the second hand, our goal is to attract the attention of historians of Islamic art on the themes of symbols - and their regional past - shown on Iranian Shiite magic items specifically and more generally on Islamic art.This work is based on a stylistic and artistic study as well as a thematic and comparative study between the textual and visual elements on the 166 Iranian Shiites amulets and talismans - collected from three collections: « Les cachets, bulles et talismans islamiques » from « Département des Monnaies, médailles et antiques de la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris », from « Collection des objets » from « Musée du Quai Branly » in Paris et from « Collection des objets talismaniques iraniens (ou des objets magiques iraniens) » from « Musée civilisations Europe Méditerranée de Marseille (MuCEM) » – with those in the pre-Islamic art of Mesopotamia and Persia.This work shows that both textual and pictorial components of these objects have a thematic relationship based on a cosmic and mythical pre-Islamic perspective. In addition, our analysis shows that the birth of the decorative and figurative writing could be the result of an ideological and cultural conflict between the Arabic Muslim conquerors and the intellectuals of conquered countries. Our study also shows that the symbolic universe of Iranian Shiites amulets and talismans was formed under the influence of many disagreements between primitive Islam imported by Arabic Muslims and new Muslims of conquered countries. Our analysis is only based on the three collections of French museums and it is essential to enrich it with other items from other museums around the world.