Medieval Workshop

Gold has been prized by humans for thousands of years. One of the few metals to occur in its pure form on the surface of the earth, gold is a remarkably malleable material that can be formed into any shape. To celebrate the fiftieth (golden) anniversary of the University of Victoria, we have chosen to explore the role of this rare and beautiful metal in Medieval society. Speakers address the ways in which gold was used for sacred purposes ranging from reliquaries and liturgical items to the ornamentation of buildings and manuscripts with gold leaf. The metal had a central role in economic life, with gold coins circulating across the known world. Other talks look at the metaphorical dimensions of gold, including the Medieval bestseller, the Golden Legend, and the pervasive concept of lost ‘Golden Ages.’

We hope to bring you a workshop that is worth its weight in gold!