Robes And Honor

Robes and Honor is a fascinating exploration of the possible common origin and subsequent developments of investiture across medieval Christianity and medieval Islam. The ceremony in all of its cultural variety was much more than the public adoption of a high-value textile as symbol of office; within a culture, robing established a personal link "from the hand" of the giver—king, pope, head of a sect, ambassador—to the receiver—noble, general, official, nun, or acolyte. This volume challenges current thinking on religious and regional boundaries of "cultures," raises semiotic issues about imagined communities, and addresses problems of kingship.

Robes and Honor is a fascinating exploration of the possible common origin and subsequent developments of investiture across medieval Christianity and medieval Islam. The ceremony in all of its cultural variety was much more than the public adoption of a high-value textile as symbol of office; within a culture, robing established a personal link "from the hand" of the giver--king, pope, head of a sect, ambassador--to the receiver--noble, general, official, nun, or acolyte. This volume challenges current thinking on religious and regional boundaries of "cultures," raises semiotic issues about imagined communities, and addresses problems of kingship.

Booknews

Medievalists from Europe and the US, some specializing in clothing, show how investiture in Medieval Christianity and Islam, from Europe to India and the Mongol Empire, was more than the public adoption of a high-value textile as symbol of office, but it established a personal link from the hand of the giver<-->king, pope, head of a sect, ambassador<-->to the receiver<-->noble, general, official, nun, or acolyte. Their 18 essays are arranged chronologically. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Stewart Gordon is a Research Scientist at the Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies Center, University of Michigan.