Medieval Memoria Online. Commemoration of the Dead in the Netherlands until 1580

The Medieval Memoria Online (MeMO) portal facilitates a new approach for researching the medieval culture of remembrance (memoria). It enables an interdisciplinary investigation in which case studies are combined with a comparative analysis of large amounts of source materials, including both objects and texts. This objective is achieved by A. making available on the Internet an information system containing databases with inventories and descriptions of sources that are fundamental to the study of memoria. These sources are 1. memorial registers, 2. narrative sources regarding memoria, 3. memorial paintings and sculptures (Memorialbilder), and 4. sepulchral monuments and gravestones. In addition to the four types of memoria sources, the MeMO research infrastructure also provides 5. basic information on the institutions from which the sources originate. The application includes - photographs of the objects, links to full text scans of memorial registers, and links to related and other relevant websites - extensive introductory texts, both in English and Dutch, on the medieval commemoration of the dead - information about the sources used for the compilation of the database and about the criteria for including the objects and text carriers, and - both a written text manual and a video on how to use the database. B. websites (and PDF’s) created by the MeMO project as supporting tools both for introducing medieval memoria to students, pupils, teachers and the generally interested public, and for researchers. These applications range from a Rich Internet Application which helps the user to get acquainted with the phenomenon of memoria, to an extensive bibliography on memoria in the Netherlands, and a comprehensive glossary on words and expressions concerning memoria (Dutch, English and German). See Relations for the titles of these websites. Target group - researchers of the commemoration of the dead in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period - local historians, genealogists and researchers of heraldry who carry out research into ancient families - museum curators - teachers, pupils and students who wish to write a paper or a thesis, and - people with a general interest in the Christian art and culture of the Middle Ages Re-usability and extensibility of research data 1. The portal has been designed to allow for more websites, PDF’s and links to other relevant websites 2. The database has been designed to allow for - continuous inclusion of descriptions of newly found objects and text carriers of the type already included - descriptions of other types of sources - other areas and periods Generally the database is suited for data that are used for research projects that focus on the functioning of the material (e.g. paintings of guilds, confraternities and the civic militia; inventories; books of hours, liturgical books, archival sources that functioned in institutions)