Written Artefacts in Rites of Passage: On the Material Culture of Initiation

Initiation rites have shaped societies for thousands of years. In both sacred and profane contexts, they define transitions between different phases of life or cultic-religious stages. Sometimes these rituals involve Written Artefacts, such as manuscripts with texts to be read or recited, or inscribed objects, that are necessary to perform the ritual acts. While the manuscripts usually directly ensure the agency of the corresponding acts through the codified and prescribed texts, the inscri...