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Research into material culture has become one of the most important fields in medieval and early modern studies. While past research focused primarily on the objects as such, present interests have moved to humans and their ties to things. This volume concentrates on the perception of medieval and early modern material culture, in particular exceptional objects that can be seen as "favourite things". Contributions lead from theoretical issues to specific groups of objects, their exclusivity and function as social markers. The analyses address both religious and secular space.

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Gerhard Jaritz is professor of Medieval Studies at the Central European University. His research concentrates on medieval daily life as well as material and visual culture.

Ingrid Matschinegg is senior research fellow at the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Material Culture at the University of Salzburg. Her fields of interest range from social to cultural history with an emphasis on migration history and human-animal studies.

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