Ampolle devozionali ed itinerari di pellegrinaggio tra IV e VII secolo

The existing rich bibliography on the Ampullae... very often only deals with the iconographical aspects. This work is concerned rather with the geographical distribution of these objects in relation to the itineraries of pilgrimage. Their function, typology and chronology are recalled, and three principal groups are distinguished: Ampullae of St. Menas, the several Eastern sanctuaries, and the sites in the Holy Land. The predominant number of specimens of St. Menas, bears witness to the frequency of pilgrimages to the tomb of the saint's eponym, either starting from the Holy Land or from the low Danube, from Western Europe or from the Maghreb. This testifies to the persistence of contacts between West and East up to the disturbances of the VII th century. there follows a catalogue of specimens known at the present time, with the sites where they were found and/or are conserved, their datation and bibliography. [revised by D.Parrish] The present work re-examines the itineraries ad loca sancta fort he corresponding period: namely that of the Pilgrim of Bordeaux for the IV th century; that of the Anonymous Pilgrim of Plaisance (about 560/70) and the narration of the Frankish bishop Arculf (679/82) copied by the Irish abbott Adamnan. There emerges a preference for the land routes during the I V th century, and for the sea routes during the Vlth and Vllth centuries. Changes in the political-religious context in most of the East as well as in the Balkans must have had an influence in this sense, but one should probably also take into consideration personal motivations or chance occurrences. While the sanctuaries like St. Menas, which were often visited up to that time, decline around the middle of the Vllth century, Costantinople, rich with relics, from this moment exercices a strong attraction from this point onward. While the oldest accounts insist very little (or not at all) on describing the ways of reaching the Holy places, the increasing dangers now cause the whole voyage to be described in the devotion's itinerary. [revised by D. Parrish]