Anthropologists, social scientists, and classicists have all long been showing strong interrelationships between arts and rituals in various cultures — both ancient and contemporary. Recognising that Byzantine arts and rituals presuppose each other, NetMAR aims to break new ground by addressing their intersections. Given the importance of Cyprus within both the Byzantine and Western medieval worlds, the project examines Western medieval arts and rituals at the nexus where they coexisted and interacted with their Byzantine counterparts. NetMAR starts from the premise that medieval arts cannot be sufficiently or productively understood unless they are examined together and in relation to rituals; and that rituals are better comprehended within the framework of their associated arts. In an attempt to address this need, NetMAR uses the concepts of “ritual”, “ritualisation” and “performance” through which all types of medieval arts can be brought under one roof. Such a holistic approach constitutes a desideratum for Medieval Studies, as it contributes towards a better understanding of the workings of medieval cultures and it reveals aspects that could not otherwise be seen. At the same time, it allows modern European societies to come to terms with their medieval heritage. NetMAR’s various Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) include staff exchanges, expert visits, webinars, workshops, a summer school, conference organisation and attendance, and dissemination and outreach activities.

The expertise and capacities acquired by these CSA, along with the continuous assistance of the advanced partners, will facilitate UCY to:

  • produce high-impact publications in the project topics;
  • provide relevant electronic publications for non-academic audiences;
  • establish an international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, and open access scholarly journal (Eventum: A Journal of Medieval Arts and Rituals) that will adopt the project concept and methodologies;
  • upgrade its research management and administration unit;
  • support its Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and promote their career by taking into consideration gender equality.