Cult of Carts
Encyclopedia
Cult of Carts is a term coined by the architectural historian A. K. Porter
to describe various occasions in western Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries, when ordinary lay-people
harnessed themselves to carts in the place of oxen in order to transport building materials to cathedral building sites.
' account of the rebuilding of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus in Rome after a fire in AD 70). In medieval Europe, perhaps the most widely known and influential of these events occurred during the building of the Benedictine
Abbey
at Montecassino (Italy) in 1066. The Abbey's chronicler, Peter the Deacon
, described how a crowd of pious lay people spontaneously seized some heavy marble columns which had been delivered from Rome
and carried them up the long steep hill to the building site, singing and praying as they went.
A similar story was also told of the building of another Benedictine monastery at St Trond (now Sint-Truiden
in Belgium), c.1155, which was included in an early 12th century account of the Abbey's history by its Abbot, Adelhard II.
, who had visited Montecassino in 1123 and was familiar with the story of its construction. In his account of the building of the Abbey of St Denis (written c.1144) Suger described how, after finding some Roman marble columns in a disused quarry near Pontoise
, he began to despair of every retrieving them from the forest, until a crowd of local people of all social ranks came together of their own volition, tied ropes to the columns and dragged them to the road, accompanied by many spontaneous displays of pious devotion.
In 1145, a few years after the incident described by Suger, one of the most famous 'Cult of Cart' miracles occurred at Chartres
, where Bishop Fulbert
's cathedral was nearing completion. The event was described in a letter claiming to be an eye-witness account, written by Abbot Haymo of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
to the monks of Tutbury
Abbey in England. Haymo described how the citizens of Chartres, of all social classes, harnessed themselves to carts like oxen and dragged materials to the building site as an act of mass piety which involved the singing of hymns and the acceptance of chastisement from members of the clergy.
In the following years a number of similar events supposedly occurred in other towns around France the last recorded at Châlons-sur-Marne around 1171. However most of these events are known only from a single source, usually written by a member of the clergy from the relevant church. Several of these contemporary accounts are very similar in style and in details, which casts some doubt on their accuracy and also on the genuine spontaneity of these events, which may instead have been orchestrated by the local clergy.
was supposedly dragged in carts by local women, who would not allow the stones to be 'defiled by animals'. Generally however stories of the practice died out as opportunities for the expression of lay piety became more normalised through confraternities and other social structures.
During the Gothic-revivals of the 19th and early 20th centuries, various writers used the supposedly spontaneous outbreaks of popular piety exemplified by the 'Cults of Carts' to evoke an over-romanticised view of medieval Europe as a religious golden-age. More modern scholarship has tended to view the stories more sceptically. As with all such foundation myths
, evidence from documentary accounts must be tempered by an understanding of the role of such stories in promoting individual churches (and the Benedictine order in general) and also by the tendency of medieval chroniclers to adapt and copy stories from earlier texts (see topos
).
Arthur Kingsley Porter
Arthur Kingsley Porter was an American art historian and medievalist. Porter's most significant contribution has been his revolutionary studies and insights into the spread of Romanesque sculpture...
to describe various occasions in western Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries, when ordinary lay-people
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
harnessed themselves to carts in the place of oxen in order to transport building materials to cathedral building sites.
Precursors to the 'Cults of Carts'
Throughout European history there have been several documentary accounts of occasions when the public spontaneously came together to labour on some important building project (the earliest being SuetoniusSuetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
' account of the rebuilding of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus in Rome after a fire in AD 70). In medieval Europe, perhaps the most widely known and influential of these events occurred during the building of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
at Montecassino (Italy) in 1066. The Abbey's chronicler, Peter the Deacon
Peter the Deacon
Peter the Deacon was the librarian of the abbey of Montecassino and continuator of the Chronicon Monasterii Casinensis, usually called the Montecassino Chronicle in English. The chronicle was originally written by Leo of Ostia...
, described how a crowd of pious lay people spontaneously seized some heavy marble columns which had been delivered from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and carried them up the long steep hill to the building site, singing and praying as they went.
A similar story was also told of the building of another Benedictine monastery at St Trond (now Sint-Truiden
Sint-Truiden
Sint-Truiden is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden,...
in Belgium), c.1155, which was included in an early 12th century account of the Abbey's history by its Abbot, Adelhard II.
Major 'Cult of Carts' episodes in medieval France
The first such account from the Gothic period was written by Abbot Suger of St DenisAbbot Suger
Suger was one of the last Frankish abbot-statesmen, an historian, and the influential first patron of Gothic architecture....
, who had visited Montecassino in 1123 and was familiar with the story of its construction. In his account of the building of the Abbey of St Denis (written c.1144) Suger described how, after finding some Roman marble columns in a disused quarry near Pontoise
Pontoise
Pontoise is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the "new town" of Cergy-Pontoise.-Administration:...
, he began to despair of every retrieving them from the forest, until a crowd of local people of all social ranks came together of their own volition, tied ropes to the columns and dragged them to the road, accompanied by many spontaneous displays of pious devotion.
In 1145, a few years after the incident described by Suger, one of the most famous 'Cult of Cart' miracles occurred at Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, where Bishop Fulbert
Fulbert of Chartres
Fulbert of Chartres –10 April 1028) was the bishop of the Cathedral of Chartres from 1006 till 1028. He was a teacher at the Cathedral school there, he was responsible for the advancement of the celebration of the Feast day of “Nativity of the Virgin”, and he was responsible for one of the...
's cathedral was nearing completion. The event was described in a letter claiming to be an eye-witness account, written by Abbot Haymo of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The Abbey Church, was rebuilt in the 12th century and 13th centuries and restored and modified in the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing the former abbey church built in 1011 by...
to the monks of Tutbury
Tutbury
Tutbury is a large village and civil parish of about 3,000 residents in the English county of Staffordshire.It is surrounded by the agricultural countryside of both Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The site has been inhabited for over 3000 years, with Iron Age defensive ditches encircling the main...
Abbey in England. Haymo described how the citizens of Chartres, of all social classes, harnessed themselves to carts like oxen and dragged materials to the building site as an act of mass piety which involved the singing of hymns and the acceptance of chastisement from members of the clergy.
In the following years a number of similar events supposedly occurred in other towns around France the last recorded at Châlons-sur-Marne around 1171. However most of these events are known only from a single source, usually written by a member of the clergy from the relevant church. Several of these contemporary accounts are very similar in style and in details, which casts some doubt on their accuracy and also on the genuine spontaneity of these events, which may instead have been orchestrated by the local clergy.
Aftermath of the 'Cults of Carts'
An attempt was made to revive the practice in early 14th century Rome when material for the rebuilding of the Basilica of St. John LateranBasilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
was supposedly dragged in carts by local women, who would not allow the stones to be 'defiled by animals'. Generally however stories of the practice died out as opportunities for the expression of lay piety became more normalised through confraternities and other social structures.
During the Gothic-revivals of the 19th and early 20th centuries, various writers used the supposedly spontaneous outbreaks of popular piety exemplified by the 'Cults of Carts' to evoke an over-romanticised view of medieval Europe as a religious golden-age. More modern scholarship has tended to view the stories more sceptically. As with all such foundation myths
Founding myth
A national myth is an inspiring narrative or anecdote about a nation's past. Such myths often serve as an important national symbol and affirm a set of national values. A national myth may sometimes take the form of a national epic...
, evidence from documentary accounts must be tempered by an understanding of the role of such stories in promoting individual churches (and the Benedictine order in general) and also by the tendency of medieval chroniclers to adapt and copy stories from earlier texts (see topos
Literary topos
Topos , in Latin locus , referred in the context of classical Greek rhetoric to a standardised method of constructing or treating an argument. See topos in classical rhetoric...
).