17-02-2018, 03:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 17-02-2018, 04:06 PM by Morten St. George.)
(17-02-2018, 08:18 AM)Koen Gh. wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.There's actually very few figures who are "clearly bathing". I'd describe most of them as standing in shallow water. Almost none of the women do things that would be expected of bathers, like scrubbing part of the body, washing hair, filling vessels for rincing, using a towel....
There is, however, a similarity of composition with the Balneis tradition, as has been observed early on. Marco posted good examples here You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and here You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. .
The Balneis does not offer a clear-cut solution for the VM, but it does enough to obliterate your theory. I suggest you check it out.
The Free Dictionary defines "bathe" (from where we get "bathing") as 1. To take a bath 2.To go into the water for swimming or other recreation 3. To become immersed in or as if in liquid 4. To sunbathe.
That should cover all depictions of gals in green water in the VMS.
Everywhere we see that the gals liked to compare and contrast their new life in the New World with their old life in the Old World. For example, look at the first ABIRIL page where we see the gals fully clothed in the Old World and the second ABIRIL page where they are naked reflecting their new life in the swamps.
The De Balneis Puteolanis dates back to 1197 (47 years prior to the Fall of Montségur) and the arched baths themselves probably date back to Roman times AND they probably existed in different places, not just in southern Italy. In fact, I think I heard that one of the Roman baths is still in use today.
So, in effect, all you are saying is that one of the gals participated in one of the Old World baths (or saw a depiction of one) and in the VMS decided to depict it for comparison with their new baths: the pools of swamp water.
The main reason I theorize that the VMS (copied in the 15th century) was originally authored in the 13th century rather than in the 14th century is that the gals' memory of the Old World appears to be fresh. In other words, it seems more likely that the VMS was written by the original migrants to the New World rather than by their descendants.
Sorry, but your baths do not obliterate my theory. If anything, they help to support one aspect of it.
PS. The arches supported the heavy weight of the water and were needed because the Romans heated their bath water from underneath.