Canes normannorum equitum. The last companions of medieval lords
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26754/ojs_salduie/sald.2026113115Keywords:
Medieval history, Gothic sepulchral effigies, Archaeology of death, Anglo-Normans, Germanic ritualsAbstract
The aim of this article is to explain the meaning of the dogs sculpted on Gothic tombs at the feet of medieval (lords, ladies, ecclesiastical and lay figures). The origins of this archetype of the lord accompanied by his dog in his final resting place may be traced to the Anglo-Norman world, specifically to Angevin England from around 1240. Several early English tombs featuring canines at the feet of effigies are analysed and interpreted in light of the sensibilities of the medieval patrons who commissioned these sarcophagi. In doing so, the article challenges commonly accepted medieval religious explanations, which are regarded here as reinterpretations intended to neutralise an essentially pre-Christian archetype. In order to interpret these funerary dogs, the study begins by examining certain burial rituals and practised by various peoples Germanic, from the Migration Period to their final manifestations in Viking burials. By approaching the funerary of the ancestors of the Normans, the article demonstrate the hypothesis that these Gothic sculptures constitute the last expression of an ancient archetype rooted in the blood of canids sacrificed in pagan rituals. Finally, we presents several medieval tombs from Aragon and Castile, highlighting their connection to the sepulchral dogs of northern Europe.
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