Sacred Spaces and identity paths.
Foundation texts, iconography, religion and traditions in
Italian Christian sanctuaries in Late Antiquity and Middle Ages
This FIRB-Project is part of a large Italian Grant-Program supporting young researches. It is founded by the Ministry of Research, University and Education and it is called FIRB (Fondi Italiani per la Ricerca di Base)-Futuro in ricerca 2010.
Lasting 5 years, this Project was submitted in December, 23, 2010; it has been approved in September, 29, 2011 and it is up and running from March, 28, 2012. It is lead by University of Bari Aldo Moro (Principal Investigator Laura Carnevale) and aims at developing a cross-disciplinary research on the sacred spaces, mainly from a Christian point of view and focusing in particular on sanctuaries. The investigation will resume, update and enhance a large number of studies on this topic, carried out in Italy and abroad for over fifty-years.
Four Research Units are involved in the Project, each bringing a specific scientific perspective: University of Bari Aldo Moro (P.I. Laura Carnevale); University “Kore” of Enna (P.I. Daniela Patti); University of Padua (P.I. Chiara Cremonesi); Sapienza-University of Rome (P.I. Tessa Canella). Sanctuaries are, in fact, a multi-faetured reality and an investigation on this topic implies a really broad disciplinary skillset. Thus, the Project involves researchers skilled in archeology, history, hagiography, iconography, anthropology, history of religion, museology, information technology.
ARTICULATION
UN DATABASE PER I PARAMENTI SACRI
One of the objectives of the FIRB Project is the creation of a database of the ancient liturgical vestments preserved in the sanctuary of St. Matthew at San Marco in Lamis.
The creation of the database springs from the idea that a sanctuary should be not only a place of devotion, but also of culture. It often preserves an invaluable heritage which should be made accessible to and better known by a larger public.
The ITC project was based on a physical catalogue of the materials done by volunteers during a decades-long project at the sanctuary; moreover, it took great advantage of the historical analysis and the categorization of the fabrics and of the vestments overall, carried out by Dr. Sabrina Mignosa. While she analysed and categorized the vestments, the webmaster, Nicola Mongelli created the database, in collaboration with the expert scholar, Dr. Alessandra Moro.
The database is not only a useful tool for consultation, research and investigation of the liturgical vestments preserved in the sanctuary; it is also meant to be a means of dissemination for these pieces of cultural heritage (think about the possibility of visiting virtual exhibits of the vestments themselves).
A series of detailed information, photos of the vestments, and scientific descriptions allows the user to access either to the complete vestment or to individual pieces.
The database can be queried trhough specific research criteria related to each other:
Vestment code
Type of vestment
Manufacture
Age
Colour
Type of fabric
Type of thread
State of preservation.
Enjoy your query!
Database Paramenti SacriUN DATABASE PER I PARAMENTI SACRI
Uno degli obiettivi del Progetto FIRB è stato la realizzazione di un database dei paramenti sacri custoditi nel santuario di San Matteo a San Marco in Lamis.
L’idea è nata dalla consapevolezza che un santuario può essere spesso, oltre che luogo di culto, polo culturale e scrigno di beni che andrebbero valorizzati e resi accessibili a un pubblico consapevole e interessato.
A partire da un lavoro di catalogazione già svolto in passato dai volontari del santuario, il database si è giovato dell’analisi rigorosa dei tessuti e dei paramenti condotta della studiosa Sabrina Mignosa; i paramenti sono stati quindi ulteriormente analizzati e riordinati per consentire la realizzazione del database, creato dal webmaster del sito del progetto, Nicola Mongelli, in collaborazione con l'esperta di dominio.
Esso rappresenta un utile strumento di consultazione, ricerca e studio dei paramaneti sacri in dotazione del santuario, offrendo anche possibilità di divulgazione attraverso la costruzione di mostre tematiche virtuali.
Pagine di dettaglio, foto dei paramenti, descrizioni scientifiche, consentono all'utente di accedere al complesso dei parati (organizzato in due fondi: quelli del santuario e le acquisizioni di pezzi provenienti da altri contesti) e ai singoli pezzi. La consultazione del database può essere condotta attraverso criteri di ricerca che rispondono a voci predeterminate ma in relazione tra loro: codice parato, tipo paramento, manifattura, secolo, colore, tipologia tessile, filati utilizzati, altre lavorazioni, stato di conservazione. L'interrogazione del database, in modalità combinata delle voci suindicate, permette di filtrare efficacemente i risultati.
Buona consultazione!
A new app for the smartphone and tablet: “St. Matthew. Voyage in time”
Following the framework of the FIRB Project and with special reference to the aim of highlighting the historical significance of the sanctuary, we designed an app based on the most important case study in the project: the sanctuary of St. Matthew (San Marco in Lamis). This app is an edutainment digital product called “swipe story".
It is based on storytelling techniques and dynamic content, enabling users to know the sanctuary through an experiential learning path. The app was designed by a team consisting of graphic designers, computer programmers and historians. It is an alternative and attractive product that, before the visit, offers an introduction to the historic site and, after or during the visit, allows the visitor to get more in depth with particular aspects.
The app is currently available on Google Play (type 'San Matteo: time travel'). Enjoy your trip!
Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places: Expressions and Experiences of Lived Religion
Bari, May 24th to May 26th, 2017
Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici
Università degli Studi "Aldo Moro" Bari
From May 23rd to May 25th 2017 will be held, in Bari, the International FIRB Conference "Sacred Spaces and Sacred places. Expressions and Experiences of Lived Religion". During the conference, both the outputs of the Project and the research carried out in the local Units will be presented.
It will be also the occasion to broaden the investigation and to think about future investigation paths on the topic of sacred spaces and places.
Loca hereticorum. The Geography of Heresy in the Late Antique Mediterranean
Roma 25-26 novembre 2016
Dipartimento di Studi Storico-Religiosi, Aula A
Sapienza - Università di Roma
On the 25th and 26th of November the International Conference "Loca hereticorum. The Geography of Heresy in the Late Antique Mediterranean" is held in Rome. It is organized within the framework of the FIRB project, in collaboration with the University of Rome and the Escuela Española de Historia y Arqueología. Italian and foreign scholars investigate, from different disciplinary perspectives, various aspects connected with the notion of spaces of heresy.
Learning Technologies. Swipe story for cultural heritage education
Enna, 4 maggio
Università "Kore" Aula Montessori
On May 4th, at the Faculty of Classical, Language and Linguistics Studies at the University of Enna "Kore", Dr. Alessandra Moro (research grant, FIRB project) will hold a seminar on the subject: “Learning Technologies. Swipe story for cultural heritage education”.
The seminar aims at highlighting the educational implications of the app “St Matthew: a voyage in time”, designed by the FIRB project team.
During the seminar, the results of the five-year FIRB project will be also presented, with an exploration on new research perspectives related to sacred spaces and places.
BOOK SACRED SPACES
This book, edited by Laura Carnevale and Chiara Cremonesi, presents the proceedings of the First Firb International Congress “Sacred Spaces and Sacred Paths. Shrines, Routes, Bodies”, held in Padova on 17th-18th dicember 2012.
It’s an exploration on the role of shrines and sacred spaces in the representation of landscapes and of social and economic contexts, by means of historical and mythical memories and involving individual and collective experiences.
Shrines and sacred spaces can be considered as “contexts” from an existential, historical and methodological perspective, which involves the religious and the political sphere, the economic and aesthetic dimension. Each of these areas involves processes of negotiation and processes of social and cultural construction.
Places, Routes, Bodies are investigated from different perspectives by historians of Christianity, scholars of Religion History, archaeologists and Art-historians.