During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, pilgrimage provided an important path to spiritual salvation; as such, a whole range of individuals—from peasants to kings, serfs to sultans—undertook these sacred journeys. The destinations of pilgrims varied, from the shrines of local saints to the two great pilgrimage cities of Jerusalem and Mecca, as did their motivations. This conference invites papers exploring Christian, Islamic, or Jewish pilgrimage in Europe and/or the Mediterranean between approximately 300 and 1600 CE. We welcome papers from all disciplines, including art history, history, literature, music, Near Eastern studies, religious studies, and others. Papers may address the theme of pilgrimage in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to:-Historical accounts of pilgrimage-Literary accounts of pilgrimage-Imagery depicting the act of pilgrimage or associated with a specific pilgrimage site-Shrines, relics, or reliquaries-The impact of pilgrimage on the politics, economy, or mmunity of a particular city-Pilgrims’ souvenirs. The conference will be held on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University (located in University Center, Michigan) on February 22-23, 2013. Those interested in presenting a 20-minute paper at the conference should submit a brief CV and a 200-word abstract to Dr. Emily Kelley at edkelley@svsu.edu no later than September 7, 2012. Emily Kelley, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Art HistoryArbury 151Art DepartmentSaginaw Valley State University7400 Bay RoadUniversity Center, MI 48710(989) 964-4567
