2./3. April 2025 - Haus der Universität, Schlösslistrasse 5, 3008 Bern
Co-produced Rituals: Uncovering a Common Culture in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean
The Co-produced Rituals Conference explores the emergence and early development of so-called Abrahamic rituals, tracing them back to late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. By examining their cultural contexts, the conference aims to shed light on the complex dynamics that shaped ritual practices and their role in theological developments. Indeed, historical and anthropological studies frequently highlight what they consider to be to ritual similarities among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. When identified, these similarities have often been interpreted either as the result of one tradition influencing another or as expressions of a supposed universal impulse rooted in a shared biblical background, that would have triggered common expressions of popular piety. This conference proposes to move beyond such traditional models by analyzing both literary and material evidence. Rather than viewing these rituals merely as borrowings or parallel developments, we aim to highlight their emergence within a shared context: the ritual practices common to all inhabitants of the Roman and/or Sassanid empires.
