Inscriptions, Text and the Material Culture of Worship in the Southern Netherlands, c.1566-1621

In 1911, Roger Rodière delivered a lecture entitled ‘L’Épigraphie pratique’, in which he argued that as archaeology became increasingly scientific in its approach, there remained a more arcane branch of the discipline. The reading and recording carved inscriptions, whether formal statements or graffiti, provided important archaeological evidence of the past. Through these inscriptions, it was possible to read the history of the people. An architectural historian, Rodière used these carvings to document churches across the Pas-de-Calais, many of which were subsequently destroyed in the bombardments of World War I. Rodière was one of the principal contributors to the eight volume Épigraphie du département du Pas-de-Calais published between 1883 and 1937 by the Commission départementale des Monuments historiques. Although these substantial volumes have been important for the architectural history of the region, there has been little attempt to use this material in other ways. This chapter demonstrates how inscriptions can be read to provide insights into attitudes and beliefs during the early modern period. Through focusing on inscriptions recorded in churches, the essay explores patronage and the material culture of worship during a period of ecclesiastical change and reform. This chapter demonstrates the value of reading inscriptions alongside the archival record and published material of the early modern period.