RGME Theme for 2025:
“Thresholds and Communities”

[Posted on 5 February 2025, with updates]

Milan, Casa Campanini, Entry Gate. Designed by Alfredo Campanini (1873–1926). Photograph by Giovanni Dall’Orto (26 February 2008), Share Alike 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Giovanni Dall’Orto, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

For the Year 2025, the Research Group on Manuscript Evidence chooses the Theme of “Thresholds and Communities” for exploration as part of its activities and projects.

We began the year’s activities with Episode 19 of our online series wherein “The Research Group Speaks”, in a roundtable discussion introducing the theme and our planned activities. The discussion considered multiple aspects, meanings, and approaches to Thresholds, functioning also as Gateways, Portals, Doors, and Entrances of many kinds.

• Episode 19: “At the Gate”

For activities planned for the year, see:

• 2024 and 2025 Activities

As the year progresses, we will ‘visit’ thresholds of various kinds as we observe their variety.

Doorways as Grand Entrances

For example, appreciating the photography which showcases the creativity of the design and monumentality of the construction, we might admire the portal to the Casa Campanini, constructed between 1903 and 1906 and designed by the architect Alfredo Campanini (1873–1926). Standing at 11 Via Bellini in Milan, Italy, the main entrance is flanked by a pair of caryatids formed in concrete by the sculptor Michele Vedani (1874–1969). Designed by Campanini and created by Alessandro Mazzucotelli (1865–1938), the wrought iron gate is decorated with graceful floral motifs.

Milan, Casa Campanini, Art Nouveau Style, completed in 1906. Designed by Alfredo Campanini. Image via Dhona, via https://www.facebook.com/groups/Italian.liberty/posts/9132766936775312/.

Thresholds in Literature

We begin with a survey of passages referring to one or more “threshold” in the Bible.

• “Threshold” in the Bible
  Judges 19:27
  1 Kings 14:17
  2 Chronicles 3:7 (the threshold of the Temple, lined with gold)
  Isaiah 6:4
  Ezekiel 46:2 (guards at the threshold of the Temple)
  Zephaniah 1:9
  1 Samuel 5:4-5 (dismembered parts of the fallen idol Dagon laid at the threshold of the temple of idols)
  — Illustrated, for example, in the Morgan Crusader Bible
  (New York, Morgan Library and Museum, MS M.361, fol. 21r)
  Jeremiah 35:4

Copenhagen, Entrance to Carlsberg Brewery, built 1901.
Image via https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122224750046226885&id=61556806553551&post_id=61556806553551_122224750046226885&rdid=4h6i5pJiunR2zey7.

Import

In addition to physical spaces, “Thresholds” in metaphysical, spiritual, and metaphorical terms are places of transition, which represent beginnings and endings. Navigating them can pose challenges or difficulties. Some of them might not be meant to be traversed, as barriers or points of demarcation. Not always is their passage guaranteed, advisable, or bi-directional. Their presence can be worthy of respect, awe, wonder, admiration, and contemplation.

They offer points of boundary, division, and potential meeting-points for communities.

More to come.

Wells Cathedral, Medieval Door to Undercroft. Wood dated dendochronologically to circa 1265. Image via https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=374843081890636&id=100080948424342&set=a.155695930472020.

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