Abstracts
Abstract
Across early modern and nineteenth-century Europe it was widely believed that the corpses of executed criminals had thaumaturgical powers that could miraculously cure a range of illnesses if they were touched or ingested. This article looks at how touch was the key sense involved in how the magical powers of the corpses of the condemned could transfer to the living. It argues that these beliefs were linked to a much older belief in relics, which also require physical proximity in order to function effectively. It explores the different traditions around the use of these body parts across Europe, arguing that variations in practices were centred on differing methods of execution in different regions rather than on varying religious beliefs.
Keywords:
- Execution,
- Magic,
- Body Parts,
- Blood,
- Corpses,
- Relics
Résumé
Dans l’Europe des premiers temps modernes et du XIXe siècle, beaucoup pensaient que les cadavres des criminels exécutés possédaient des pouvoirs thaumaturgiques susceptibles de guérir miraculeusement toute une série de maladies une fois touchés ou ingérés. Le présent article examine dans quelle mesure le toucher était le principal sens par lequel les pouvoirs magiques des cadavres des condamnés pouvaient être transférés aux vivants. Il soutient que ces conceptions étaient liées à une croyance beaucoup plus ancienne : celle des reliques, lesquelles nécessitaient également une proximité physique pour fonctionner efficacement. L’article explore les différentes traditions entourant l’utilisation de ces fragments corporels à travers l’Europe, en soutenant que la diversité des pratiques était liée aux variations régionales des pratiques d’exécution, plutôt qu’à des divergences religieuses.
Mots-clés :
- Exécution,
- Magie,
- Membres,
- Sang,
- Cadavres,
- Reliques
Appendices
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