Cistercian Monastery Research Articles

Pottery kiln from the second half of the 13th century in Žďár nad Sázavou – Staré Město (Czech Republic)

This study investigates a medieval pottery kiln and its fill excavated at a 13th-century settlement site near the Žďár Cistercian monastery. The short 30–40 year lifespan of the settlement provides valuable insight into how pottery was made and appeared in a chronologically specified timeframe of the mid-13th century. The kiln was a single-chamber type, either with an open-topped or domed superstructure with a very narrow stoking channel in terms of height. Technological analysis of the pottery inside the kiln points to consistent production techniques utilising a combination of coiling and early rotational devices with rapid firing practices. The interpretation of the forming technique is backed by 3D scanning, which quantifies the wall thickness variability over various vessel body parts. Cross-analysis with settlement finds shows a uniform ceramic morphology and technological nuances, with petrographic data suggesting both local and external material influences. The study enhances the understanding of the socio-economic dynamics during medieval colonisation based on the case of the Žďár region and provides a benchmark for regional ceramic research.

The willow (Salix sp.) toothpicks from the Cistercian Monastery of Lorvão (Penacova, Portugal)

The willow (Salix sp.) toothpicks from the Cistercian Monastery of Lorvão (Penacova, Portugal)

Early Infirmaries in Methoni During the Venetian Occupation.

In the High Middle Ages, Venetian sovereignty was recognized in Methoni and Koroni (in Greece). It helped lay the foundations for the prevalence of democracy in Venice in the Eastern Mediterranean. The development of these two decadent regions of Messinia, had to be supported by social welfare infrastructure. Today, the search for these social welfare infrastructures in Venetian Methoni at the beginning of the conquest turns mainly to the monasteries of the Latin monastic orders that settled there during that time. These spiritual institutions, which provided shelter, hospitality, and even medical care to those in need, have not been identified to date. The goal of this paper is to propose two possible locations based on bibliographic and on-site research. With the help of bibliographies, Venetian files, and relevant wills from the time, an effort was made to identify these ruins. On-field research was carried out to consolidate the findings that arose from the analysis of bibliographic references, the evidence arising from them, as well as local tradition. The monastery of the Cistercian nuns shows that, in the context of charity, medical care was provided to those in need. The monastery in Paliomothoni was one of the earliest infirmaries in Venetian Methoni. The location of the first infirmary of Venetian Methoni within the Cistercian monastery of Paliomothoni is highly probable. Additionally, it was found to be operating there by Dominican monks at a later time.

Food and Monastic Space: From Routine Dining to Sacred Worship—Comparative Review of Han Buddhist and Cistercian Monasteries Using Guoqing Si and Poblet Monastery as Detailed Case Studies

Through an exploration of meal regulations, dining rituals, and monastic rules of Han Buddhist and Cistercian monks, this article discusses how food affects space formation, layout organization, and site selection in monastic venues using Guoqing Si and Poblet Monastery as detailed case studies. The dining rituals, such as guotang and the Refectory, transform daily routines into acts of worship and practice, particularly within the palace-like dining spaces. Monastic rules and the concept of cleanliness influence the layout of monastic spaces, effectively distinguishing between sacred and secular areas. The types of food, influenced by self-sufficiency and food taboos, impact the formation of monasteries in the surrounding landscape, while the diligent labor of monks in cultivating the wilderness contributes to the sanctity of the venues. By employing anthropology as a tool for field observation and considering architectural design as a holistic mindset, this article concludes that due to the self-sufficiency of monastic lives, monks establish a sustainable agri-food space system. This ensures that food production, waste management, water utilization, food processing, and meal consumption can be sustainable practices. Food taboos are determined by the understanding of purity in both religions, leading to the establishment of a distinct spatial order for food between the sacred and secular realms. Ultimately, ordinary meals are consumed within extraordinary dining spaces, providing monks with a silent and sacred eating atmosphere. Under the overall influence of food, both monasteries have developed their own food spatial systems, and the act of dining has transformed from a daily routine to a sacred worship.

Inwentarz ekonomiczny wsi Dobrzechów, Wysoka Strzyżowska i Oparówka z 1852 roku

Economic inventory of the villages of Dobrzechów, Wysoka Strzyżowska and Oparówka from 1852 The villages of Dobrzechów, Wysoka Strzyżowska and Oparówka were the property of the Cistercian monastery in Koprzywnica since the Middle Ages. After the First Partition, these areas were taken over by the Austrian authorities as chamber estates. In 1789, as a result of the exchange, the villages became the property of Ignacy Skrzyński, and then of his son Franciszek Ksawery Skrzyński. In 1842, the daughter of the latter - Teofila Koźmianowa née Skrzyński - was installed as the owner of the village. As a result of her premature death in 1852, an economic inventory was prepared in favor of court inheritance proceedings, covering all farms and manor buildings, with a detailed description of the buildings located within them. The source is the only such detailed description of the villages in question preserved, and a significant part of the objects listed in it were destroyed in the 19th or early 20th century.

Encrucijadas de la red hidráulica en los monasterios cistercienses del noroeste de España. La captación y el claustro reglar

Without water there was no guarantee of achieving solitude in any monastery. The underground hydraulic networks were drawn up before or at the same time as the founding plant and there must have been various water crossroads to redistribute it. Along with the catchment and diversion, where the intervention of the monks seems notable, the regular cloister is another of them, with the prominence of its cloistral source, as it is proved by some archaeological excavations in Cistercian monasteries in the Northwest of Spain (Valdediós (Asturias). , Melón (Ourense), Carracedo (León) and Moreruela (Zamora). Moreover, this also happens in other Hispanic and European monasteries of any religious order. It is fair to mention that we intend to include here, to the archaeological analysis, the possibilities of the 3D geo-radar that we have used in the monastery of Santa María de Moreruela (Zamora) in 2020 as a specific way of investigation of monastic hydraulics.

Cystersi z klasztorów skasowanych w 1819 r. w diecezji sandomierskiej. Studium biograficzno-prozopograficzne

The subject of the biographical and prosopographical analysis were the convents of three Cistercian monastery, in Koprzywnica, Sulejów and Wąchock, which during the dissolution in 1819 were within the borders of the Sandomierz diocese. The personal composition of the monasteries in the initial period of suppression consisted of a total of 55 monks. In the first stage of the research, a biographical index was prepared, which was used to analyze the social, national and territorial origins as well as the numerical and age structure of the discussed communities. The post-dissolution fate of the monks was also the subject of scientific reflection. The primary source material is comprised by general and personal files of the clergy, diocesan and monastic schematisms, as well as parish files and record books.

The Cistercian monastery of S. Martino al Monte in the 13th century through papal documents: first considerations on the relations with the Roman curia

This essay aims to reconstruct the history of the Cistercian monastery of S. Martino al Monte, located near Viterbo (Lazio), and focuses on its relations with the papacy and the papal curia during the 13th century. The analysis of the monastery’s documentation, especially papal records, has revealed that the first half of the century was a fruitful time for the Cistercian community. The monastery strengthened its relations with the Roman curia thanks to the personality of some eminent abbots who were involved in the workings of the curia, and to the support of some cardinals who promoted the Cistercian coenobium, subsidized its building renovation, and sponsored the abbey's interests in the curia. The monastery also enlarged its patrimonial endowment and reorganized its administrative and accounting system to improve the management of its possessions.

Spatial and ideological transformation of the Abbots’ Garden in Oliwa in the 18th century

Ever since the Medieval era, Cistercian monasteries have been the centres of architecture, horticulture, art and craft. Their abbeys were also distinguished by a rich theological program. Within the larger monastic complexes, the abbot occupied a representative building, surrounded by an ornamental garden. In the 15th century, the Abbot’s Palace was erected at the Abbey in Oliwa, which had been founded in 1178. The abbot’s seat was repeatedly expanded by successive abbots, including Kasper Geschkau, Dawid Konarski, Jan Grabiński, Aleksander Kęsowski, and Franciszek Zaleski. Józef Jacek Rybiński in particular made some notable achievements, including building a new Rococo palace surrounded by a Baroque garden, which was characterised by a rich program referring to Christian symbolism. After 1772, Cistercian goods and properties were confiscated by Prussia. In 1782, Prince Karl von Hohenzollern-Hechingen, and then his nephew Prince Joseph, became the new abbots. With the help of the gardener Johann Georg Saltzmann, Prince Karl enlarged the garden with a new English- Chinese section with a rich Oriental program. The article presents the history of the garden, the evolution of its ideological program and layout, the landscape values of the former monastery complex as well as its contemporary resources.

The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire: Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. By Michael Spence. Medieval Monastic Studies 5. Turnhout: Brepols, 2020. 208 pp. € 75.00 cloth.

The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire: Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. By Michael Spence. Medieval Monastic Studies 5. Turnhout: Brepols, 2020. 208 pp. € 75.00 cloth.

ПОСУД З ЛІТЕРНИМИ ГРАФІТІ XVII–XVIII СТОЛІТТЯ З ВОЗНЕСЕНСЬКОГО ЖІНОЧОГО МОНАСТИРЯ ПОБЛИЗУ ДУБНА

Archaeological excavation of ancient Dubno monasteries, founded by dukes Ostrozki, much disclose the history of these places. In their time, they defined original culture-religion character of the town. Investigation on the territory of Voznesenskyi monastery with large square in 2018–2022 gave possibilities to analyze large items from end of XVI – first third of XIX cc. There were the original fragments of pottery found among ceramic complexes. They have scratched letters in graffiti technique. Total found six specimens of pottery with such kinds of marks. The territorial and chronological frameworks of everyday using of such wares are considered. The review of European monastery complexes with similar founds witnesses about wide culture context of this phenomena. After the discovery these finds, dated of XIII c., in Cistercian monastery in Herkenrode monastery (Belgium), the interest for its study had significantly grown. Subsequent investigation allowed to find many potteries scratched with letters marks in women monasteries in Belgium, Netherlands, France and Lithuania. As far as we know, the fragments identified on the excavation near Dubno are the first facts of such finds in Ukraine. The possibilities of use the pottery with scratched letters are under consider in the article. They are associated with the social structure inside the monasteries. Written sources show that some part of nuns stood out in the economic status and ate better dishes. In addition, this could do novitiates. These pottery might use also in the medical purposes.

Circumstances, Events, and Consequences of the Relocation of the Relics of Blessed Vincent Kadlubek to Sandomierz Cathedral in 1845

The article describes the journey of the relics of Blessed Vincent Kadlubek’s to Sandomierz Cathedral in 1845. The introduction discusses the origins of the cult of Blessed Vincent in this cathedral, the religiosity of Sandomierz residents of the first half of the 19th century, the efforts of Bishop Joseph Goldtmann to bring the relics to Sandomierz, as well as the process of obtaining them from the Cistercian monastery in Jedrzejow. The further part of the study describes their introduction to the Sandomierz Cathedral, reconstructing the course of the procession from the Reformate monastery church to the cathedral and the celebrations that followed. The last part of the article discusses the repercussions from the Russian authorities that followed these events as well as the positive consequences.

Parchment Glutamine Index (PQI): A novel method to estimate glutamine deamidation levels in parchment collagen obtained from low-quality MALDI-TOF data

Parchment was used as a writing material in the Middle Ages and was made using animal skins by liming them with Ca(OH)2. During liming, collagen peptides containing Glutamine (Q) undergo deamidation resulting in a mass shift of 0.984 Da. Assessing the extent of deamidation can inform us about parchment production patterns and quality. In this study, we propose a simple three-step workflow, developed as an R package called MALDIpqi(), to estimate deamidation in parchment derived collagen using low-resolution MALDI-TOF spectra. After pre-processing raw spectra, we used weighted least-squares linear regression to estimate Q deamidation levels from the convoluted isotopic envelope for seven collagen-peptide markers. Finally, we employed a linear mixed effect model to predict the overall deamidation level of a parchment sample termed Parchment Glutamine Index (PQI). To test the robustness of the workflow, we applied MALDIpqi() to previously published ZooMS data generated from almost an entire library of the Cistercian monastery at Orval Abbey, Belgium. In addition to reliably predicting PQI, we observed interesting patterns pertaining to parchment production. MALDIpqi() holds excellent potential for biocodicological and other archaeological studies involving collagen, such as bone, but we also foresee its application in the food and biomedical industry.

"Beata in purpura nobiliter educata": Textual tradition of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary in 13th century Castille

The presence of the cult of saint Elisabeth of Hungary is well documented in the Kingdom of Aragon, but has not been properly addressed in Castile. Using manuscript Paris, BnF, Nouvelles Acquisitions Latines 868 as starting point, this article examines the possible routes of arrival of texts dedicated to saint Elisabeth in the Castilian territories. It addresses the role of Beatrice of Swabia as passive agent in the spreading of the cult mostly through her burial at the Cistercian monastery of Las Huelgas in Burgos, as well as the part played by Franciscan author Juan Gil de Zamora. This article provides, for the first time, a material analysis of London, BL, Add MS 41070, the only surviving manuscript that contains this author’s Legende Sanctorum.

Michael Spence. The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire: Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. Medieval Monastic Studies 5. Turnhout: Brepols, 2020. Pp. 250. $91.00 (cloth).

Michael Spence. The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire: Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. Medieval Monastic Studies 5. Turnhout: Brepols, 2020. Pp. 250. $91.00 (cloth). - Volume 62 Issue 1

IEEE Joint PELS/IAS SBC at University of Sheffield Arranges Picnic [Society News

The IEEE Joint Power Electronics Society (PELS)/Industry Applications Society (IAS) Student Branch Chapter (SBC) at the University of Sheffield, U.K., worked alongside the Electrical Machines and Drives (EMD) Research Group at the University of Sheffield to organize a picnic for both members and staff on 25 June 2022 ( <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Figure 1</xref> ). The picnic was held at the Fountains Abbey, which is in North Yorkshire and one of the largest Cistercian monasteries in U.K.

Transforming the Use of Agricultural Premises under Urbanization Pressures: A Story from a Second-Tier Post-Socialist City

Diverse aspects of de-agrarianization, which is manifested by the cessation or significant reduction in agricultural activities, have been clearly visible at the outskirts of large cities in Central Europe in recent decades. The key drivers behind this process include increased pressures to cover peri-urban agricultural land by new developments, inadequate protection of agricultural land, ineffective implementation of urban planning policies, low recognition of the importance of agriculture, and overall changes in people’s dietary habits. Urbanization pressures undoubtedly belong to the factors intensifying overall de-agrarianization, as urban farmers are usually not able to compete with other urban functions. This article focuses on more in-depth understanding of the driving forces behind de-agrarianization processes that are specific to post-socialist cities. As a case study, Brno, a second-tier city in the Czech Republic, was selected. In the first part, the conceptual framework and drivers of de-agrarianization are discussed specifically for the case of large Central European post-socialist cities. In the next part, we explore by means of a set of qualitative interviews the case study of the regeneration of the area of a former Cistercian monastery in Brno that was traditionally used for agricultural purposes, but recently was redeveloped for a university campus. Our findings signal procedural issues connected to the preservation of architectural heritage during the regeneration that frequently end up with only fragments being preserved. We also demonstrate a decline in the use of urban agricultural properties that are hastily transformed into a new urban environment under extremely strong urbanization pressures. We argue that even in economically prosperous cities with highly neoliberal competition between possible urban land uses, agriculture must be considered a relevant and highly important urban function and more protected by planning tools.

Michael Spence, The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire. Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. (Medieval Monastic Studies, Vol. 5.) Turnhout, Brepols 2020

Article Michael Spence, The Late Medieval Cistercian Monastery of Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire. Monastic Administration, Economy, and Archival Memory. (Medieval Monastic Studies, Vol. 5.) Turnhout, Brepols 2020 was published on April 1, 2022 in the journal Historische Zeitschrift (volume 314, issue 2).

The Archaeology of Abbey Wood, Strata Florida, Ceredigion, Wales

ABSTRACT Abbey Wood today is a beautiful, if ill-kept, mixed deciduous woodland a few hundred metres to the south of the former Cistercian monastery of Strata Florida in the Upper Teifi Valley in central Ceredigion, Wales. It consists of a number of different elements of land use and ecology, largely self-regenerated wood and scrub, some older tree specimens and patches of open rough pasture. There are ecological traces of historic management such as pollards and coppice boles, as well as extensive areas of archaeological earthworks on the woodland floor. These appear to demonstrate that the wood, as its name suggests, was originally planted onto open agricultural land perhaps as early as the twelfth century at the time of the Abbey’s foundation. The present extent is approximately 80 hectares (c.200 acres), but early estate maps show that 250 years ago it was larger and much more coherent as a managed wood. Some conifers were planted by the Forestry Commission in the mid-twentieth century. This article will argue that the historic wood was the main source of timber for the Abbey and that this re-founded institution, as part of its re-shaping of a pre-existing traditional landscape sacrificed good arable land for the purpose.

Archaeological Contributions to the Establishment of the Plan of the Igriș/Egres Cistercian Abbey Church

The monastery of Igriș/Egres (Timiș County, Romania) was one of the most important Cistercian monastic sites of the 13th century in the Hungarian Kingdom. After identifying the now entirely buried remains, excavations conducted between 2016 and 2021 found a multi-layered archaeological site, with an earlier village church and at least two main construction periods of the church of the Cistercian monastery. Despite being a royal foundation and having its first monks come from one of the four most important Cistercian mother monasteries, the plan of the first monastery church of Igriş bears little resemblance to the typical Cistercian plan. It had a typical basilical plan, its eastern end terminating in three semicircular apses. The second construction phase of the church made a stressed transition towards the more conventional Cistercian forms. The semicircular apse of the main sanctuary was transformed into a rectangular one and had a transept inserted. Besides giving a basic description of the most important medieval architectural remains found, the following article attempts to make some preliminary assessments with regard to the general historical and architectural context.