Medieval Lifestyles, Literature Focus of International Conference at UK
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 26, 2016) — The 15th triennial congress of the International Courtly Literature Society (ICLS) brings heroic knights, medieval castles, distressed damsels and courtly love to the University of Kentucky campus this week.
The UK Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures hosts this international, weeklong immersion in medieval culture with the support of the ICLS, the UK Office of the Vice President for Research, UK College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Hispanic Studies, Department of History, UK Libraries and others.
Congress participants will immerse themselves in topics such as medieval fashion and courtliness, art and artifacts, pastimes and music, chivalry and honor, literature and poetry, magic and minstrels, knights and jousting.
In honor of the conference, UK Libraries is presenting a free, public exhibition of archival materials related to "Courtly Pastimes" through Friday, Aug. 5, in the Great Hall, located on the second floor of the Margaret I. King Library Building.
Officially launched in 1973, ICLS's mission is to promote the study of courts and court-related cultures. Areas of study include medieval vernacular genres (lay, romance, lyric poetry, drama, etc.), medieval Latin literature, the historical background to court life, and medieval art, architecture and music. ICLS now has branches in North America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Tunisia and the Iberian Peninsula, with bibliographical correspondents representing Denmark, Norway, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
Some Congress attendees will tour the Thoroughbred Training Center; take a scenic drive past Spendthrift, Castleton Lyons and Calumet horse farms around Lexington and CastlePost near Versailles; visit Shaker Village; and end the day with an hourlong sightseeing cruise on the Dixie Belle riverboat.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, 859-257-3302, gail.hairston@uky.edu