Perceptions of the Body and Sacred Space in Late Antiquity and Byzantium

A groundbreaking volume, 'Perceptions of the Body and Sacred Space in Late Antiquity and Byzantium,' reveals how Christian views of the body and sacred space were intricately linked through art, architecture, and philosophical discourse. The study demonstrates that the physical body was not merely a temporal entity but a sensory participant in divine beauty, challenging traditional dichotomies between the material and the sacred. Through case studies—including monumental icons, imperial family depictions, and the architectural framing of sacred spaces—the research illustrates how human agency, both physical and metaphysical, defined holiness. Notably, the volume explores the role of liminality as a threshold for encountering the sacred, highlighting the interplay between body and space in early Christian mentalities. This interdisciplinary approach, combining art history, architecture, and philosophy, offers a nuanced understanding of how sacredness was perceived and represented in the Early Mediterranean.

Lung, E. (2021). Perceptions of the Body and Sacred Space in Late Antiquity and Byzantium. Hiperboreea, 8(1), 121–124. https://doi.org/10.5325/hiperboreea.8.1.0121