Researching Our Past
It was only a small blurb in the news, but it was striking. Since it concerned history, and medieval history at that, it didn't hit the headlines and would not have been noticed, even, if it weren't for the amount of money involved. This past week the Spanish medievalist, Ana Rodriguez, a member of the CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientÃficas) was awarded a grant of 2.5 million euros from the European Research Council. That is an unusual amount for a grant, especially one on the Humanities. Her object is to conduct research into the reason stone began to be used in buildings from 1050 onwards. Her plan is to invest five years of research with ten or fifteen co-workers in the area from the Christian kingdoms of Spain, to southern France, to Italy.
So many possible reasons spring to my mind to have switched from using perishable wood to imperishable stone. Europe a thousand years ago was undergoing a transformation, much like now. One might say that a thousand years ago modern-day Europe was formed. The vernacular languages came into civil use, Viking and Hun invasions stopped, the schism between the Western Church and the Eastern Church appeared, and the Crusades began. That was also the time Western theologians came into contact with the writings of the ancient philosophers, notably Plato and Aristotle, through the Moors in Spain. From that came Scholasticism, a way of thinking and learning that permeated education until now. Our modern scientific thought is based on asking questions and answering them through evidence, which is what the Scholastics taught.
Perhaps, though, two simple reasons might be behind the change in building materials. One is the warm period that peaked in the eleventh century. Europe became warmer and rainier; crops grew more abundant. That meant there was more food for a larger population. In fact, population grew around that time. Wood would have been used for many things, from building to carpentry to fuel. It probably came down to finding different materials that wouldn't decimate the surrounding forests completely.
The Romans had used stone, so probably the ruins of their buildings were studied to determine building techniques and new ones elaborated. With stone larger edifices could be built, creating beautiful temples to awe worshippers at the beauty God could create through man. And egos of the first burghers could also show themselves in towers that could be seen from kilometers away. Cities became more permanent and the risk of fire diminished with stone.
Whatever the reason, I am thankful that those Europeans decided to use stone. It's a joy to wander through light, soaring cathedrals and imagine the stone masons shaping each stone with his chisel and mallet, each ringing thud reminding him his work would last for generations, and that his faith was as solid as the stone he was working. Or to wander through the old section of towns and see the stones that housed families like mine through the ages.
Whoever said history is boring has no imagination.
So many possible reasons spring to my mind to have switched from using perishable wood to imperishable stone. Europe a thousand years ago was undergoing a transformation, much like now. One might say that a thousand years ago modern-day Europe was formed. The vernacular languages came into civil use, Viking and Hun invasions stopped, the schism between the Western Church and the Eastern Church appeared, and the Crusades began. That was also the time Western theologians came into contact with the writings of the ancient philosophers, notably Plato and Aristotle, through the Moors in Spain. From that came Scholasticism, a way of thinking and learning that permeated education until now. Our modern scientific thought is based on asking questions and answering them through evidence, which is what the Scholastics taught.
Perhaps, though, two simple reasons might be behind the change in building materials. One is the warm period that peaked in the eleventh century. Europe became warmer and rainier; crops grew more abundant. That meant there was more food for a larger population. In fact, population grew around that time. Wood would have been used for many things, from building to carpentry to fuel. It probably came down to finding different materials that wouldn't decimate the surrounding forests completely.
The Romans had used stone, so probably the ruins of their buildings were studied to determine building techniques and new ones elaborated. With stone larger edifices could be built, creating beautiful temples to awe worshippers at the beauty God could create through man. And egos of the first burghers could also show themselves in towers that could be seen from kilometers away. Cities became more permanent and the risk of fire diminished with stone.
Whatever the reason, I am thankful that those Europeans decided to use stone. It's a joy to wander through light, soaring cathedrals and imagine the stone masons shaping each stone with his chisel and mallet, each ringing thud reminding him his work would last for generations, and that his faith was as solid as the stone he was working. Or to wander through the old section of towns and see the stones that housed families like mine through the ages.
Whoever said history is boring has no imagination.
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