Medieval Lived Religion: The Complex Lives of Medieval Ritual Objects

Delivered by the most outstanding academics in the UK and beyond, the British Academy’s flagship Lecture programme showcases the very best scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. This event is part of the Albert Reckitt Archaeological Lecture Series.

How did medieval people use material culture to live out their relationships to the sacred, the supernatural and their families and communities? This lecture harnesses a fresh source of archaeological evidence to shed new light on everyday religion in the English Middle Ages (c. 1000-1550 CE). It draws on research in collaboration with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (British Museum) to glean new historical insights from public finds data – objects recovered and recorded by members of the public, principally metal-detectorists. Among the 325,000, later medieval public finds are objects of personal religious devotion, amulets, pilgrim souvenirs and ecclesiastical artefacts. How were they used by ordinary people to provide spiritual protection at critical times, such as childbirth? And why did so many of these potent ritual objects end up discarded in plough soil?

The lecture will be followed by a short introduction to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), a project that records archaeological finds made by the public in England and Wales, managed by the British Museum in England. Head of Portable Antiquities & Treasure at the British Museum, Michael Lewis, will speak about PAS and its value to researchers as an archaeological dataset of predominantly rural finds. Some recent medieval finds from the Thames foreshore will also be showcased as part of this event.

Speakers:

Professor Roberta Gilchrist FBA, University of Reading

Roberta Gilchrist FBA is Professor of Medieval Archaeology and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research for Heritage and Creativity at the University of Reading. She has published extensively on the archaeology of medieval gender and the life course, burial, magic, and monasticism, including major studies of Glastonbury Abbey and Norwich Cathedral.

Michael Lewis, British Museum

Michael Lewis is Head of Portable Antiquities & Treasure at the British Museum. In his role as Head of the PAS, he also oversees the administration of the Treasure process, which allows museums to acquire the most important archaeological finds.

Free, booking required, tickets to be released in spring 2025

This event includes a reception for all attendees after the lecture.

If you have any questions about this event, please email [email protected].

Image: A late 15th-century gold pendant, set with a large blue sapphire, the Middleham Jewel was discovered by a metal detectorist in 1985 near Middleham Castle, the northern home of Richard III. Courtesy of York Museums Trust, Public Domain.