History
article | Reading time5 min
Discovered in 1993, the marine graffiti - these ephemeral traces - are part of the abbey's history.
A history of graffiti
Graffiti: a vital and ancient act
For a long time, graffiti had a pejorative connotation. For some, it meant a scrawl, for others, it was the work of vandals or opponents. As a result, their preservation is very late in coming. The study of graffiti is of great importance to history and archaeology.
Graffiti bears witness toman's occupation of a place, his activities, beliefs and way of life. Graffiti is a phenomenon found throughout the ages. Today, it's considered a documentary source in its own right, on a par with the written word.
© Geoffroy Mathieu / CMN
Highlighting the abbey's marine graffiti
The existence of marine graffiti is not uncommon in monuments located near maritime or river sites. Often, as is the case at Montmajour , these engravings remain forgotten for centuries. The attention of archaeologists, historians and architects was focused on understanding its history, architecture and sculpted ornamentation.
It wasn't until 1993 that archaeologist Albert Illouze discovered a major series of 12th century medieval graffiti at the abbey, most of them nautical in nature. Most of this graffiti is concentrated on the west wall of the cloister.
The series of graffiti on the west wall of the cloister is of the utmost importance, both in terms of number (there are 25 ships) and quality of execution. This demonstrates the artist's extensive knowledge of the marine environment. The fineness of the strokes and the wear of time make them difficult to read. Most of the images are at man's height. They must have been created by a single artist: the hulls can be superimposed on each other and have similar dimensions. These marine graffiti from the 12th-13th centuries are exceptionally rare .
© CMN
A little history
From the 12th century onwards, the Mediterranean once again became the heart of the world, a sea traversed by numerous trade routes.
At that time, Montmajour was an important center of christian spirituality. It overlooks a marshy plain and is located 4 km from the river and sea port of Arles. The abbey is under the protection of the Virgin Mary, Saint Antoine and Saint Pierre, all of whom are guardians of sailors.
The prestige of its position and the presence of relics make it an important pilgrimage center. In medieval times, the ship had a very important symbolic value in Christian thought. It represented the earthly world confronted with evil. It was therefore normal to invoke certain saints and thank them for the protection of crews.
By dating the construction of the cloister 's west wall and the technical elements depicted, researchers have been able to date the naval graffiti to the late 12th - early 13th century. The graffiti found at Montmajour also constitute an excellent historical document for our knowledge of 12th century naval architecture.
© Médiathèque d'Arles
One or more meanings
The functions of the graffiti in the cloister of Montmajour remain somewhat enigmatic. Several hypotheses are open to researchers: ex-voto? Testimony to a particular event? An outlet?
The first is that the graffiti serve as historical testimony. The graffiti would trace a particular event that took place not far from the abbey: a pilgrimage, the arrival of a major figure in the Arles region, which was always accompanied by festivities of varying scale, depending on the prestige of the visitor.
The second function is that of an ex-voto. Ex-votos are objects offered by the faithful in thanksgiving to the saints. Thus, marine graffiti can be considered the poor man's ex-voto. Here, in a few figurative strokes, the author thanks the Virgin Mary or Saint Pierre for having probably escaped a shipwreck. On the other hand, if the graffiti was made before departure, it's a request for protection.
The third function is an outlet. Its author seeks to escape from a place of isolation and forget the precariousness of his earthly life.
© Geoffroy Mathieu / CMN
