Hidden treasures

In popular belief, a relic still possesses magical powers today; it is a point of contact between heaven and earth, between the earthly and the supernatural. A source of comfort and hope in difficult times, easy to understand – and therefore all too tempting. This was particularly true in the Middle Ages: Back then, the cult of relics experienced a veritable boom and sometimes took some strange turns. The influx of pilgrims provided lucrative sources of income; no wonder so many wanted a share of the spoils, even if it meant peddling fakes such as ‘holy’ nativity straw. But that is not what this is about.

It was the year 1833. There was great excitement in the home of the industrialist and committed patron of learning, Jean-François Boch, as the Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm had announced his visit. He was travelling through the Prussian Rhineland and greatly appreciated the impressive river landscapes and their picturesque relics from times gone by. He was not alone in this: the first signs of tourism were just beginning to emerge along the Rhine and Moselle, particularly with visitors from England.

 

The ancient manuscript belonging to Archbishop Egbert dates from a time when the first stone castles were gradually being built, and most of these castles have since been destroyed. Yet the fragile parchment of the manuscript has survived to this day. The colours are vibrant and the gold gleams almost as it did in days of old.