Alumnus Brad Hostetler to Present Talk on Byzantine Reliquaries Thursday, Oct. 7

Art History alumnus Brad Hostetler (PhD ’16) will present “Reading Relics: Bones, Oil, and Cloth in Byzantine Reliquaries” on Thursday, October 7 at 4:15 in room 2041 WJB.

What are relics, and how did the Byzantines understand their nature? In this talk, Dr. Hostetler focuses on the most prevalent written source on relics in the Byzantine Empire: inscriptions on reliquaries. These texts provide a wealth of information, including the identification of the materials, their sacred associations, and the power they possess. Inscriptions also suggest a relic hierarchy based on supply and the ability of the faithful to possess their own piece of the sacred.

The lecture is sponsored by the Department of Art History and the Medieval Students Organization, and is open to the public. It will also be available via Zoom: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/2573604990.