CCHS-CSIC | A journey through Medieval cultures and their diversity
Full capacity
Organizer
Time
Viernes 26 de septiembre, 4 turnos de 90 minutos: 17:00hrs, 17:30hrs, 18:00hrs y 18:30hrs.
Venue
CCHS-CSIC, c/Albasanz 26-28. Madrid
Collaborators
We invite you to a guided tour through the diversity of medieval Mediterranean cultures. Our itinerary encompasses three tracks with a focus on writing, architecture, and the making of artistic objects.
Several time slots will be available starting at 5:00 PM, during which visitors will complete the three stages itinerary.
Open to the general public and families (maximum of 4 people per reservation request).
AT THE WRITING DESK
The activity begins with a short video introducing some of the languages spoken and written in the Medieval Mediterranean. At a table designed to resemble a medieval writing desk, or an scriptorium, participants will explore the various materials involved in the writing process—such as papyrus, parchment, quills, and types of inks—gaining insight into the importance of materiality in the act of writing.
Visitors will then move on to a section set up with shelves, manuscript images, and facsimiles of codices from various textual traditions. They will be invited to interact with the books and to get a sense of the medieval library.
The guided experience concludes with a conceptual leap from writing in codices to its monumental expression in architectural inscriptions.
The activity will be accompanied by several writing-related workshops from which participants can choose, allowing them to delve deeper into the practical and creative aspects of the art of writing in various scripts.
WRITING ON THE WALLS
Participants will identify basic features of medieval architecture across different materials (stone, ivory, or wood). They will have the opportunity to recreate the architectural pieces needed to build three types of medieval arches commonly found in mosques, churches, or synagogues: the horseshoe arch, the pointed (ogival) arch, and the Romanesque arch. To that end, they will use a moldable, easy-to-work material and the molds we have prepared. Stonecutter’s marks can be added to the pieces, just as was done in the Middle Ages.
Through this, participants will become familiar with medieval carving tools and techniques, construction processes and their complexity, and the wide diffusion of these arches beyond a specific chronological or cultural context.
THE TREASURE ROOM
For art historians, inscriptions on artworks can reveal a lot about the artists, patronage, dates, and usage. However, questions often remain—especially when inscriptions are incomplete, reworked, illegible, or unclear. The National Archaeological Museum (MAN) holds a deeply fascinating ivory box, precisely because of its unusual composition, including inscriptions. This object is known as the "Arqueta de las Bienaventuranzas" (inventory no. 52092). We will study the box and discover its connections with other ivory objects and containers.
We will then investigate a 3D replica of the Arqueta de las Bienaventuranzas with our own hands: What are its textual, visual, and architectural elements? What material and size does it have? What can we say about sensory experiences through these questions? Can we imagine something about its contents? These questions also open up opportunities for active engagement with children, especially since the replicas (3D-printed plastic or cardboard versions) allow for a hands-on approach. With the knowledge gained, we will observe the differences between a replica and the original, briefly presenting the box in the context of a treasure—a highly appealing theme for children.
Several time slots will be available starting at 5:00 PM, during which visitors will complete the three stages itinerary.
Open to the general public and families (maximum of 4 people per reservation request).
AT THE WRITING DESK
The activity begins with a short video introducing some of the languages spoken and written in the Medieval Mediterranean. At a table designed to resemble a medieval writing desk, or an scriptorium, participants will explore the various materials involved in the writing process—such as papyrus, parchment, quills, and types of inks—gaining insight into the importance of materiality in the act of writing.
Visitors will then move on to a section set up with shelves, manuscript images, and facsimiles of codices from various textual traditions. They will be invited to interact with the books and to get a sense of the medieval library.
The guided experience concludes with a conceptual leap from writing in codices to its monumental expression in architectural inscriptions.
The activity will be accompanied by several writing-related workshops from which participants can choose, allowing them to delve deeper into the practical and creative aspects of the art of writing in various scripts.
WRITING ON THE WALLS
Participants will identify basic features of medieval architecture across different materials (stone, ivory, or wood). They will have the opportunity to recreate the architectural pieces needed to build three types of medieval arches commonly found in mosques, churches, or synagogues: the horseshoe arch, the pointed (ogival) arch, and the Romanesque arch. To that end, they will use a moldable, easy-to-work material and the molds we have prepared. Stonecutter’s marks can be added to the pieces, just as was done in the Middle Ages.
Through this, participants will become familiar with medieval carving tools and techniques, construction processes and their complexity, and the wide diffusion of these arches beyond a specific chronological or cultural context.
THE TREASURE ROOM
For art historians, inscriptions on artworks can reveal a lot about the artists, patronage, dates, and usage. However, questions often remain—especially when inscriptions are incomplete, reworked, illegible, or unclear. The National Archaeological Museum (MAN) holds a deeply fascinating ivory box, precisely because of its unusual composition, including inscriptions. This object is known as the "Arqueta de las Bienaventuranzas" (inventory no. 52092). We will study the box and discover its connections with other ivory objects and containers.
We will then investigate a 3D replica of the Arqueta de las Bienaventuranzas with our own hands: What are its textual, visual, and architectural elements? What material and size does it have? What can we say about sensory experiences through these questions? Can we imagine something about its contents? These questions also open up opportunities for active engagement with children, especially since the replicas (3D-printed plastic or cardboard versions) allow for a hands-on approach. With the knowledge gained, we will observe the differences between a replica and the original, briefly presenting the box in the context of a treasure—a highly appealing theme for children.
