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The Reliquary Effect: Enshrining the Sacred Object

By (author) Cynthia Hahn

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Relics take many forms, from dust to stones, cloth, bodies and body parts. They are usually of little apparent intrinsic worth but are nonetheless invested with great spiritual and memorial value. Reliquaries are the means by which the cultural value of relics is asserted. Once established as a sacred object through the act of enshrinement, the relic is empowered to commemorate religious and historical ideas, produce veneration and awe, and inspire faith and even â€˜miraclesâ€™. The Reliquary Effect is the first full survey in English to investigate the societal value of reliquaries. It focuses on relics and reliquaries of the Christian tradition, from the earliest moments of the cult of saints, to the post-Reformation response, to Protestant scepticism about and rejection of relic veneration. Relic footprints, incorrupt bodies, the Crown of Thorns, the Turin Shroud and many other renowned Christian relics are examined. Strategies such as the architectural creation of sacred space and the evocation of the biblical tradition of the Temple are revealed as central to the power of reliquaries. Hahn also discusses relics from other faith traditions, including Buddhism and Islam, and considers how the â€˜reliquary effectâ€™ finds its place as a powerful force in more secular times, as well as reliquariesâ€™ transformations in contemporary art. Featuring a fascinating mixture of inexplicably obscure objects and older artworks that demand our attention, The Reliquary Effect is a must-read for students of art history, as well as all those interested in the enduring power of sacred objects.