Western Empire (Europe)

  • Discussion of Indigenous (Non-Roman) Europe
  • Overview of the "Holy Roman Empire" leading to the Romanesque period

Carolingian Empire

  • Map of the Carolingian Empire at the death of Charlemagne in 814.
    • Not truly an empire at this point
    • Significant period: Holy Roman Empire from 800 to 1917

Key Artifacts and Historical Context

Artifacts from the Sutton Hoo Burial Ship

  • Purse Cover and Hinged Garment Clasp
    • Origin: England
    • Date: 625 AD
    • Material: Gold, gold wire, garnets, colored glass
  • Pair of Merovingian Looped Fibulae
    • Origin: France
    • Date: 550 AD

Viking Ship Burial

  • Oseberg Ship Burial
    • Date: 815-820 AD

Religious Architecture

  • Stave Church, Borgund, Norway
    • Date: 1100-1150 CE
  • Wooden Portal of the Stave Church at Urnes, Norway
    • Date: 1050-1070 AD

Crosses and Iconography

  • South Cross, Ahenny
    • Date: Late 8th century
  • High Cross of Muiredach
    • Location: Monasterboice, Ireland
    • Date: 923 AD

Illuminated Manuscripts

  • Book of Kells
    • Artwork: Christ's initials (Chr-Rho-iota Page)
    • Origin: Iona, Scotland
    • Date: 700-799 AD
  • Lindisfarne Gospels
    • Origin: Northumbria, England
    • Date: 698-721 AD
  • Man (symbol of Saint Matthew) from the Book of Durrow
    • Origin: Iona, Scotland
    • Date: 660-680 AD
  • "Morgan Beatus Codex"
    • Depiction: Woman Clothed in the Sun & the Seven-Headed Dragon
    • Medium: Vellum
    • Origin: Spain
    • Date: 940-945 AD

Map Analysis

  • Geographical layout of significant historical sites across Europe and the influence of the various empires in shaping the cultural landscape
    • Illustrates the spread and interactions between regions such as Northumbria, Jarrow, and areas in Scandinavia

Architectural Structures

  • Basilica, exterior, Trier, Germany
    • Date: 300-320 AD
  • Coronation Gospels / Charlemagne’s Gospel Book
    • Subject: Saint Matthew
    • Date: 800-810 AD
  • Equestrian Portrait of Charlemagne or Charles the Bald
    • Material: Bronze
    • Date: c. 800 to early 9th century
Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne
  • Location: Aachen, Germany
    • Date: 792-805 AD
    • Architectural features include:
    • Clerestory, aisle, tribune, stair tower
    • Reconstruction dimensions: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 feet / 0, 5, 10, 15 meters
Dome Structures
  • Dome of the Rock interior, Jerusalem, Israel
  • Santa Costanza, interior, Rome, Italy
  • Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Aachen, Germany
    • Restored plan presented

Significant Manuscripts and Artwork

  • "Ebbo Gospel Book," Saint Matthew the Evangelist
    • Medium: Ink & paint on vellum
    • Date: 800-810 AD
  • Lindau Gospels Front Cover, Crucifixion
    • Date: 870 AD

Monastic Influence

  • Saint-Riquier, Centula
    • Date: 790-799 AD

Summary of Nomenclature

  • Symbols and inscriptions displayed in early medieval texts and their reflection of Latin and vernacular forms during the period, emphasizing the transition between classical and medieval styles
    • Note the varied implications of imagery within texts, including religious themes and iconography

Historical Timeline

  • Overview of events and milestones in the context of the Carolingian Renaissance and its impact on art, architecture, and culture in medieval Europe

Implications of Art and Architecture

  • Explore the philosophical and ethical questions surrounding the representation of power, faith, and cultural identity during this historical period
  • Discuss the practical impacts of the Carolingian Renaissance on subsequent eras in art and architecture worldwide.