Sensing the Divine: Sensory Experience and Space in the Late Medieval Benedictine Abbey of Lambach (Austria)

In the cloistered worlds of late medieval monastic life, sensory perception had a decisive inpact on the spiritual experience and communal identity of conventuals. This paper explores how sensory worlds were created, experienced and discussed in the Benedictine Abbey of Lambach (Upper Austria) during a period of profound transformation in the late Middle Ages. As old ways of thinking were questioned and new intellectual currents such as humanism began to challenge monastic traditions, the monastery itself evolved into a place where sensory perception—mediated by space, material culture, and the body—was crucial for the sacred and the mundane. How did the architecture of monastic spaces shape sensory engagement with the divine? In what ways did objects and rituals foster specific sensory practices? How did reforms influence the way monks perceived and interacted with their environment? By analyzing textual sources from the Abbey, this paper aims to uncover the complex sensory dynamics at play, revealing how materiality, space, and bodily experience intertwined with the monastic pursuit of spiritual purity. Ultimately, this investigation seeks to contribute to the broader fields of sensory studies, monastic history, and cultural anthropology, while offering new perspectives on the embodied experience of sacred spaces in the late medieval Christian world.

Keywords: Benedictine monastery; Late Medieval; Space; Body; Material Culture;

Eman Shokry Hesham √ (Max Planck Kunsthistorisches Institut, Florence, Italy)

Walking through Mamluk Opus Sectile Spaces

Qibla walls and iwans in Mamluk architecture are usually the most adorned spaces compared to other spaces inside mosques and madrasas. Qibla walls in mosques are both a tangible façade and an intangible surface between the prayer hall and the Kaʿba, or the house of God. They are essential materials that should be identified on the wall between the prayer and prayer area and the outside world. Thus, most innovative designs are presented on the Qibla walls, especially on walls. Opus Sectile decoration is a standard feature in most Mamluk architecture in Cairo. Undoubtedly, physical movement through interiors embellished with opus sectile decorations on walls and floors reveals different dynamics, a sense of orientation, and a feeling of space. At first glance, this decorative technique uses colourful material pieces to create flat, two-dimensional designs. However, whether Mamluk opus sectile designs remain static with contrasting colours is worth considering. By exploring various spaces of different functions in some examples, we can better understand how movement and proximity to the opus sectile compositions impact our visual realisation space as viewers and users. Limiting our study and experience to Qibla walls and Qibla iwans, it is crucial to note that Mamluk opus sectile decorations are not necessarily restricted to two- dimensional designs; other characteristics that define Mamluk opus sectile are worth exploring. Additionally, this research offers a new understanding of how proximity to Mamluk opus sectile compositions can affect our visual perception of the space, which is paramount for studying Mamluk architectural decorations.
Keywords: mihrab, opus sectile, spatial effect, optical illusion

Blanka Misic ∆ (University of Vienna, Austria)

Cognitive and Sensory Aspects of Ritual Experiences in the Cult of Mithras: A Case Study From Roman Pannonia

Drawing on recent scholarship from cognitive science of religion and sensory studies, the present paper outlines a new theoretical framework for explaining how religious rituals were learned, remembered, and transmitted in the context of the Graeco-Roman world. This framework, termed the Religious Learning Network model, posits that sensory stimuli experienced by the individual during ritual played a significant role in creating and consolidating memories of ritual proceedings. This framework will be presented and tested within a case study of a congregation of worshippers of Mithras from the Roman province of Pannonia. The paper will analyze archaeological evidence of the mithraeum as a ritual space, drawing conclusions about the sensory experience it may have afforded. The paper will illustrate how the sensory interaction of the worshippers with the ritual environment (space, objects, and events) impacted not only the way they experienced and remembered ritual proceedings but also the manner in which worshippers bonded with each other.

Keywords: sensory archaeology, ritual experiences, cognitive science of religion, Roman religion, cult of Mithras