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A Partial Reading Of The Stones: A Comparative Analysis Of Irish And Scottish Ogham Pillar Stones, Clare Jeanne Connelly

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

A PARTIAL READING OF THE STONES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IRISH AND SCOTTISH OGHAM PILLAR STONES

by

Clare Connelly

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2015

Under the Supervision of Professor Bettina Arnold

Ogham is a script that originated in Ireland and later spread to other areas of the British Isles. This script has preserved best on large pillar stones. Other artefacts with ogham inscriptions, such as bone-handled knives and chalk spindle-whorls, are also known. While ogham has fascinated scholars for centuries, especially the antiquarians of the 18th and 19th centuries, it has mostly been studied as a script and a …

The Anti-Crusade Voice Of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Malek Jamal Zuraikat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study reads some Middle English poetry in terms of crusading, and it argues that the most prominent English poets, namely Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, and John Gower, were against the later crusades regardless of their target. However, since the anti-crusade voice of Gower and Langland has been discussed by many other scholars, this study focuses on Chaucer's poems and their implicit opposition of crusading. I argue that despite Chaucer's apparent neutrality to crusading as well as other sociopolitical and cultural matters of England, his poetry can hardly be read but as an indirect critique of war in general and …

“The Bedroom And The Barnyard: Zoomorphic Lust Through Territory, Procedure, And Shelter In ‘The Miller’S Tale’” & Haunchebones, Danielle N. Byington

Undergraduate Honors Theses

“The Bedroom and the Barnyard: Zoomorphic Lust Through Territory, Procedure, and Shelter in ‘The Miller’s Tale’” is an academic endeavor that takes Chaucer’s zoomorphic metaphors and similes and analyzes them in a sense that reveals the chaos of what is human and what is animal tendency. The academic work is expressed in the adjunct creative project, Haunchebones, a 10-minute drama that echoes the tale and its zoomorphic influences, while presenting the content in a stylized play influenced by Theatre of the Absurd and artwork from the medieval and early renaissance period.

The Fourth Crusade: How Internal Dynamics And Leadership Transitions Could Have Led To Its Diversion And Ultimate Failure, Tyler G. Grable

Honors Capstone Projects - All

The Fourth Crusade, a war called to recapture Jerusalem, ended in disaster for the Christian city of Constantinople and the city of Jerusalem remained untouched by the crusading host. The fact that a war called to protect Christians in the Middle East and to recapture the city of Jerusalem for God resulted in the sacking of one of the largest Christian cities has led to much scholarly investigation into what exactly caused this to transpire. For the better part of a millennium scholars have sought answers to significant questions and have produced a variety of explanations for why the crusade …

Pursuing West: The Viking Expeditions Of North America, Jody M. Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose to this thesis is to demonstrate the activity of the Viking presence, in North America. The research focuses on the use of stones, carved with runic inscriptions that have been discovered in Oklahoma, Maine, Rhode Island and Minnesota. The thesis discusses orthographic traits found in the inscriptions and gives evidence that links their primary use to fourteenth century Gotland. Also connecting the stones to Gotland, is the presence of an unusual rune dubbed the Hooked X. This single rune has been the center of controversy since it was first discovered in Minnesota, 1898. Since that time, it has …

The 8th Wonder Of The World: Deutsch Bier, Nathan Lowman

History Class Publications

The definition of beer is an alcoholic beverage usually made from malted cereal grain (as barley), flavored with hops, and brewed by slow fermentation.1 Today in modern culture beer has become a major part of our society. Beer has become an art form than to some type of liquid you drink to get drunk off of. People have become so infatuated with brewing that people develop their own beer or known as craft beers. Well during the medieval ages the substance known as beer became huge in monasteries. Beer culture was a prevalent thing in society back during the medieval …

Material Object Project: The Hagia Sophia, Jessica Saunders

History Class Publications

In 527, Justinian became ruler of the Byzantine Empire and left a legacy that still exists today. One remaining aspect of this legacy is the Hagia Sophia. The greatness of this structure lies not only in its grandeur, but also its representation of the Byzantine Empire and the value it placed on art and religion. The transformation that the building has undergone over the centuries represents the shifts in the Byzantine Empire both culturally and religiously. As a culture, Byzantium managed to align itself with Western Europe, while at the same time having strong enough ties with the East to …

The Madrid Skylitzes, David Willhite

History Class Publications

In the late 11th century, following the reign of Emperor Isaac I Komnenos, historian John Skylitzes recorded a history of the Byzantine Empire. This history, later to be called The Synopsis of Histories follows the Byzantine Empire from the year 811CE to 1057. Sometime in the two centuries to follow, the 250 year history was copied by scribes onto several manuscripts. Named after the current city it rests in, the Madrid Skylitzes is the only surviving manuscript of The Synopsis of Histories. Not only is the Madrid Skylitzes the only surviving manuscript of John Skylitzes’ work, it is also the …

The Declaration Of Arbroath, Cassie Young

History Class Publications

One of the most famous documents in Scottish history may very well be the Declaration of Arbroath. However, while the most famous portion, declaring that the Scots would “never on any conditions be brought under English rule” and that their fight was “for freedom alone”,¹ is certainly the most quoted, there is far more to this fascinating document than defiance of the English crown. In addition to the beautiful and stirring passages about the defense of freedom, it also includes other early ideas relevant to people even today, such as the idea that a leader is subject to his …

The Landisfarne Gospels, Abby Thomas

History Class Publications

The Lindisfarne Gospels is one of the best-preserved and most famous medieval illuminated manuscripts. It is known for its beautiful illustrations and intricate decorating that places it amongst the most praised and studied manuscript masterpieces of all time. Beyond this, though, it is famous for yet more reasons. First, the Gospel was written originally in Latin, but around a century later an Old English gloss was added, and this translation is the oldest known version of the gospels in English.¹ Also, the level and amount of documentation for the Gospels is almost staggering.

Carcassonne: A Medieval Citadel Rich In Historical Eloquence, Bridget Hosey

History Class Publications

The history of the middle ages is vast and expansive; it impacted Europe in countless ways. Although the many intricacies of this history cannot be compacted to just one region, there are certain areas of Europe that are especially representative of much of the middle ages. The reason most of these areas are such accurate representations is because they were so strategic to the events and occurrences of the medieval age. One such area of Europe that is especially representative of the history of the Middle Ages is a citadel known as Carcassonne in what is today southern France. This …

A Medieval Treasure: The Story Of A Hoard Of Chess Pieces, Lana Rose

History Class Publications

On an island that is still inhabited today, a hidden stash of chess pieces was discovered. The finding of these gaming pieces was by no means commonplace because there were several dozen pieces and they were all intricately carved. The chess pieces are rare because they were made completely out of solid walrus tusks and five were made from whale's teeth. The original story behind the chess pieces is not clearly obtained. There are different stories ranging from an escaping sailor hiding the chessmen to a travelling merchant leaving them behind. Without knowing who the original owner of the chess …

Still A Rivalry: Contrasting Renaissance Sodomy Legislation In Florence And Venice, Nicolaus J. Hajek

Black & Gold

The article focuses on comparing the functions of two institutions that castigated sodomy in Renaissance Italy: Florence’s the Office of the Night, and Venice’s Council of Ten. The author analyzes court cases from both Renaissance institutions as well as other first hand accounts of the culture of male sodomy in the region, explaining that Florence’s persecution of homosexual behavior was a secular tool to check the power of any political threat, while Venitian persecution originated from a theological mandate to save sinners from relinquishing their eternal salvation.

Enduring City-States: The Struggle For Power And Security In The Mediterranean Sea, Zachary B. Topkis

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Book Of Roger, Brady Hibbs

History Class Publications

Tabula Rogeriana (Latin for “Book of Roger) is the name of a publication created by Arab cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi in 1154 under the guidance of King Roger II of Sicily. The book is recognized for its groundbreaking world map and its accompanying descriptions and information regarding the areas shown in the map. The world map is divided into 70 regional maps, with these divisions dictated by the seven climate zones (originally proposed by Ptolemy) al-Idrisi used for the map along with ten geographical sections (Glick, 2014). The book begins with the southwestern most section, which includes the Canary Islands, to …

Mirrored Images: The Passion And The First Crusade In A Fourteenth-Century Parisian Illuminated Manuscript (Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale De France, Ms Fr. 352), Susanna A. Throop

History Faculty Publications

This lavish mid-fourteenth-century Parisian illuminated manuscript (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 352) combines a description of the Holy Land with an abridged version of the history and continuations of William of Tyre in Old French known as the Eracles. It is both visually familiar to scholars and under-studied. Several of its Gothic panel miniatures, especially folio 62r, the conquest of Jerusalem, have been published more than once, yet the manuscript's illumination programme as a whole has not been assessed since Jaroslav Folda's 1968 doctoral dissertation. Analysis of folio 62r in the context of both the full illumination …

Monastic Prisons And Torture Chambers: Crime And Punishment In Central European Monasteries, 1600-1800, Ulrich Lehner

Ulrich L. Lehner

Following the Council of Trent (1545-1563), Catholic religious orders underwent substantial reform. Nevertheless, on occasion monks and nuns had to be disciplined and—if they had committed a crime—punished. Consequently, many religious orders relied on sophisticated criminal law traditions that included torture, physical punishment, and prison sentences. Ulrich L. Lehner provides for the first time an overview of how monasteries in central Europe prosecuted crime and punished their members, and thus introduces a host of new questions for anyone interested in state-church relations, gender questions, the history of violence, or the development of modern monasticism.

The First Crusade, Was It Christian?, David C. Taylor Jr

David C Taylor Jr

On February 5th, 2015, President Barack Obama addressed the audience at the National Prayer Breakfast. During this breakfast he made comments about the Islamic State and the Crusades that sent waves throughout the religious world. In his speech, he claimed that just like the Islamic State is doing things, terrible things, in the name of Islam, we should remember that terrible things were done in the name of Christ during the Crusades. While it did not sit well with members of the church, the question must be asked. Was he right? This paper will examine the First Crusade, its cause, …

The Knights Of The Front: Medieval History’S Influence On Great War Propaganda, Haley E. Claxton

Crossing Borders: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Spanning a number of academic areas, “Knights of the Front: Medieval History’s Influence on Great War Propaganda” focuses on the emergence of medieval imagery in the First World War propaganda. Examining several specific uses of medieval symbolism in propaganda posters from both Central and Allied powers, the article provides insight into the narrative of war, both politically and culturally constructed. The paper begins with an overview of the psychology behind visual persuasion and the history behind Europe’s cultural affinity for “chivalry,” then continues into specific case studies of period propaganda posters that hold not only themes of military glory and …

Viking Women In The Isle Of Man, Valerie Dawn Hampton

Valerie D Hampton

The gender roles of important women in the Viking controlled Isle of Man has never been studied before. This is an exceptional case as women were not normally so influential in the Middle Ages, especially in Viking controlled regions. By examining memorial stones, burial goods, and their excavated skeletal remains, certain facts about Viking women's life in Medieval Manx society can be discerned. The visual remains of the Viking period in Mann, covering the ninth to thirteenth centuries, emphasizes the influence of women, confirming their importance in the kingdom's language, society, and religion.

Demon Possession In Anglo-Saxon England, Peter Dendle

Research in Medieval and Early Modern Culture

Anglo-Saxon England was a society governed by the competing discourses of illness, spirituality, power, and community. The concepts of demon possession and exorcism, introduced by Christian missionaries, provided a potential outlet for expressing the psychological, biological, and sociopolitical dysfunctions of a society that was at the center of multiple conflicting cultural dimensions.

Demon Possession in Anglo-Saxon England is a reexamination of the available sources describing the possessed and a study of the currently recognized medical and psychiatric conditions that may be relevant to and resemble medieval possession.

Unius Regulae Ac Unius Patriae: A Standardizing Process In Anglo-Saxon England, Daniel Matteuzzi O'Gorman

Dissertations

My dissertation investigates the value of `standards' and `standardization' as tools for historians to interpret social and political dynamics in the Middle Ages. To date, medieval scholarship has utilized these concepts in a relatively unsophisticated manner; standardization has been taken to simply mean the imposition of uniformity. My dissertation uses the work of contemporary engineers and sociologists to problematize this understanding of standardization. I argue that the term, properly employed, signifies a process of consensus, of horizontal rather than hierarchical relationships and of ongoing revision. Further, I contend that standardization is a means and not an end, and that those …

Censorship And Intolerance In Medieval England, Richard Obenauf

Dissertations

Censorship is difficult to prove conclusively in the Middle Ages because manuscript culture is susceptible to the destruction of evidence, namely by burning works deemed unacceptable. Moreover, medieval authors were subject to many forms of intolerance which shaped their literary decisions. This dissertation proposes that the roots of formal print censorship in England are to be found in earlier forms of intolerance which sought to enforce conformity and that censorship is not distinct from intolerance, but rather is another form of intolerance. I draw on political writings by Peter Abelard, John of Salisbury, and William of Ockham to establish a …

Peter Abelard’S Theology Of Atonement: A Multifaceted Approach And Reevaluation, Denis Kaiser

Faculty Publications

As a person trained primarily in philosophy, Peter Abelard employed an intense questioning mentality in fleshing out his theological ideas. His extreme debating style of totally deconstructing theological positions and then afterward including some of those same aspects into his own views made it easy for his religio-political enemies to take apparently heterodox statements and declare these as representative of Abelard’s entire atonement theology. However, many of his theological beliefs are supported in the New Testament and were already held by the church fathers. He frequently affirmed Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice as the ransom to redeem man. He rejected various contemporary …

02, A Mystery Of Belonging: Original Ownership Of The Portland State University Book Of Hours, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan

Texts of Time

Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan discusses patronage and ownership of Books of Hours and explores evidence within PSU’s book that suggest information about its possible owner or owners.

04, Illuminating The Medieval Manuscript: Pigment Analysis Of A French Book Of Hours, Kenna Miller

Texts of Time

Kenna Miller presents her findings on the chemical analysis of pigments used in Portland State’s Book of Hours.

05, Latin, Vernacular Language, And Personal Devotion In The Portland State Book Of Hours, Matthias Bladou

Texts of Time

Matthias Bladou describes the use of Latin and vernacular French in the Book of Hours, and how language reflected a more personal use of prayer texts in the fifteenth century.

01, "Texts Of Time: The Portland State Library Book Of Hours And The Medieval Manuscript Tradition" Exhibit Catalog, Anne Mcclanan, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan, Melissa Medefesser, Kenna Miller, Matthias Bladou, Thomas Goodwin, Devin Courtright, Bethany Kraft, Jackie Anderson, Charolette Stoehr, Caitlyn Au

Texts of Time

This is the catalog for the exhibit "Texts of Time: The Portland State Library Book of Hours and the Medieval Manuscript Tradition"

Introduction To Innovative Approaches To Teaching Chaucer, Alison (Ganze) Langdon, David Sprunger

English Faculty Publications

Many a medievalist has been seduced by Chaucer. Perhaps it’s the totality of Chaucer’s enduring characters, memorable tales, elusive narrator, and fragmented whole that keeps us coming back. We are fascinated and delighted, too, by his linguistic play and the lyrical cadence of Middle English. Chaucer may have led us to graduate study in the first place and remains a treat that organizes our pedagogical lives. For some who teach in smaller programs or two-year colleges, Chaucer’s canonical status may provide the only guaranteed place for medieval texts in the curriculum and thus represents one small chance to share our …

Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Hannah Sweeden

History Class Publications

Few things in life can be considered to be truly beautiful. The superficial parts of life: a beautiful dress, a grand staircase, or even gorgeous fabrics for example, have no dispute in their beauty. But they are purely manmade. Then, there are those objects in life where their beauty seems to surpass all other words. As one looks out upon open seas and watches as lightening strikes the waters over and over again; there are no words to describe it. It is terrifying and yet leaves you in awe of the world around you. Looking at something like this, in …