Alessandra Batty

Abstract

This article brings into focus women’s unique dimension in living their faith. Emphasis is on two types of evidence: the street shrines commonly known as madonnelle and the private shrines made of photographs (altarini) in 19^th and 20^th century Rome. Whilst the former are now a tourist attraction and the bibliography on the subject has been growing steadily, the domestic photograph shrines (altarini) are poorly documented and virtually unknown. However, their crucial role as a focus for private, family-oriented devotion is undeniable. Looking at these installations through the lens of female participation, it is possible to highlight the distinctive experience of women’s devotion in public and private spheres. Despite the crucial differences between the two types of shrine (in terms of material, assemblage, usage, chronological span etc), both are indicators of specific cultural practices, the root of which can ultimately be found in the experience of/with the body that women nurture throughout their lives.

Keywords: shrine, madonnelle, altarini, women, devotion, worship, engagement, Rome

Full text: OAJ ISSUE 11 FINAL_Article_6

DOI: 10.5456/issn.2050-3679/2024s06

Biographical note

Alessandra Batty is an Associated Academic at Bonn University. A classicist, her research interests are the history of archaeological thought and the social analysis of monuments and artefacts.  Among her publications are a monograph on the Domus del Ninfeo at Ostia (BAR, 2018), the English edition of Giuseppe Maggi’s book on Herculaneum (Kairos, 2021) and a monograph on slavery in Roman domestic contexts (BCDSS, forthcoming).

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