Gestures and Comportment at the Carolingian Court: Between Practice and Perception
Philippe Depreux
It is well known that certain gestures had a particular juridical value in the middle ages, such as, for example, tearing out tongue to exclude an individual, 1 or placing fingers position make renunciation, as revealed by notice copied into cartulary of abbey St Michael Bamberg. This tells how, October 1027, at Tribur, on orders emperor Conrad II, 2 count renounced money all right property: with his son, ‘he … first bended fingers, according custom Saxons. These are Saxons who saw and heard this [there follow names ten persons, including four counts]. Then he hand straw ( festuca ), manner Franks. eastern Franks the...
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