Arts & Culture![Beesinmedival](/newimages/ah/beesinmedival.x957cfd28.jpeg?crop=1046,805,174,84&f=webp)
Bees in the medieval world: economic, environmental and cultural perspectives
![Beesinmedival](/newimages/ah/beesinmedival.x957cfd28.jpeg?crop=1046,805,174,84&f=webp)
Believed to originate in Paradise and set apart in their chastity, bees were potent religious symbols in medieval Christianity and Islam. This was of great economic consequence: beeswax candles were necessary for the Mass, and honey was a highly sought after commodity in Muslim lands.
This project explores how cultural ideas of the bee drove a far-flung and expansive trade in wax and honey, encouraging beekeeping on a vast scale, and revealing the impact of religious consumption on economy and environment in the pre-modern world.
Project status: Ongoing
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Funding
Funding Body: Leverhulme Trust
Amount: £387,679
Period: January 2018 - December 2021