Jerusalem mitt i byn. Det tidigmedeltida kyrkobyggandet ur rituellt perspektiv.

Abstract

The stone churches of the early medieval period are commonly supposed to have been built at the instance of society’s upper echelon, the buildingsthemselves being seen as symbolic proclamations of the social hegemony of the class concerned. The present article seeks to broaden the perspective regarding both the prime movers of church building and their motives. The building of a church required the participation of a number and variety of social groupings, and the possibility is suggested of the parish farmers, as well as the patron, having found aspects of the building project attractive. True, the building enterprise − a strain on both economic and manpower resources − can be said to confirm the fundamentally hierarchic structure of society, but at the same time it helped to reshape that structure. Church building and the liturgical practices of the Church articulated the inferior social standing of the peasants but can also be seen as part of the creation of a collective consciousness on the part of this group. The article also points to the importance of understanding church building in relation to a society infused with Christian norms and ideals. Lastly, parallels are drawn between early medieval church building and the crusades. Both were regarded as deeds conferring religious merit, both involved rallying a huge number of people in pursuit of a specific objective, to achieve which they were prepared to make a variety of sacrifices. The crusaders were intent on making their way to Jerusalem in the Holy Land, the early medieval church builders on creating their own Jerusalem back home in the village.