Objekte als Objektiv für Gruppenbildungen in den Städten des Römischen Reiches

To kick off the three-day academic conference, the Max-Weber-Kolleg of the University of Erfurt invites you to a public panel discussion on Tuesday, 18 June at 6.30 pm in the Kleine Synagoge in Erfurt. The discussion will focus on the role of objects in rituals and their role in the formation and maintenance of religious groups. Researchers from Erfurt, Halle and Aarhus will introduce the topic with examples and discuss the different effects of objects for religious - but also non-religious - groups. These include books, pictures and loaves of bread, but also coins, inscriptions and clothing. How important is the reference to such objects? How do we handle them, even touch them? What emotions are triggered by material objects that are not evoked by mere slogans or membership certificates? Is seeing and touching more important than believing?

The conference is sponsored by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.