Marvels and the Far East

Throughout Chapter 2, there were a number of references to the far East. Although this chapter was about the sorts of marvels found in churches and courts from the 12th or so century on, many of these were derived from the "periphery" and tended to have "Eastern origins" (69). It strikes me as interesting that "exotic" people and places were at once fears and revered. Objects which had their origins in "the East" were made an integral part of courts and churches, and were often used as a symbol of wealth, stature, and, interestingly, "civilization" (91). The authors write: "a central characteristic of many artificial marvels: their explicitly civilizing intent" (91). I find this interesting and ironic - I wonder how "the exotic" morphed into a symbol of culture and civility.

In the writings and artifacts described, a clear "otherization" of "Eastern cultures" begins to emerge in the European societies of the 13th century onward. Interestingly, however, artifacts from "the Orient" are held in high regard from the 12th century to medieval times. I think it would be interesting to compare 18th and 19th century attitudes to the Orient with those that emerged in the 13th century, and analyze how they have changed over time.