090094 SE The space of the believers: Pilgrimage and pilgrim accounts as historical and Topographic source (2018S)

Pilgrimage has its roots in the Constantinian period, it focused in an early stage on the Holy Land, and on sites connected to the life, passion and gesta of Christ. Over time the attraction of the shrines that bore witness to the Apostles and early martyrs gradually lead the phenomenon to embrace all holy sites in the basin of the Mediterranean. Thus the need to reach the venerated sanctuaries lead, since early stage, to the development of apposite itineraries in which the paths taken by pilgrims and the places they visited were included in appositely composed documents and road maps were prepared. The seminar will discuss in detail these accounts considered as important sources on topography, architecture, art, devotion and socio-cultural aspects. It will also discuss how pilgrimage shaped cityscape and how it left an important imprint on material culture.
Students will be required to choose a theme for presentation and must present a written text.