Die Ahnenprobe in der Vormoderne

Proofs of ancestry were a useful means of selection applied by late medieval and early modern elites and gained considerable importance in the course of the growing juridification of pre-modern hierarchical concepts of order. They provided proof of social affiliation in different contexts and were also used by certain groups for securing exclusive access to material and politico-social resources. Tombstones, portraits, objects of day-to-day use and buildings were visual representations of such proofs of ancestry.

In this collection of papers, the concept ›proof of ancestry‹ is described as a pre-modern idea of order with constitutive value and its fundamental importance for the Estate society is discussed. The various representations of proofs of ancestry, the communicative practice and the transformation of its use within and beyond the European context are discussed in historical and art-historical perspectives on the basis of case studies from various contexts. The topics covered deal with research questions on ritual, knowledge, kinship, decision-making and integration processes as well as strategies of distinction in estate assemblies, exclusive corporations and at the princely court.

rhema-verlag.de

Elizabeth Harding, Michael Hecht (Hgg.) Die Ahnenprobe in der Vormoderne
Selektion – Initiation – Repräsentation

Symbolische Kommunikation und gesellschaftliche Wertesysteme – Schriftenreihe des Sonderforschungsbereichs 496, Band 37

2011, 450 Seiten, 16 Beiträge, 91/107 Abbildungen (91 Abbildung in s/w, 16 davon auch in Farbe), Harteinband

2011, 450 pages, 16 essays, 91/107 figures (91 figures in b/w, 16 of those also in full color), hardcover

ISBN 978-3-86887-006-0 Preis/price EUR 58,–