Christian Lübke

The silence has always been one of the most important commandments regulating monastic life. However, in order to communicate even in places where the vow of silence demands absolute quiet, a sign language was developed that has been used in many communities since the 10th century. The monks and nuns were always reminded to exchange only those messages that were essential for the practical and spiritual processes within the monastery. The sign language is documented in so-called sign lists, a type of simple dictionary with usually brief descriptions of how to represent an object, a person, or another term using signs. This book focuses on the sign language of the Cistercians. The preserved Cistercian sign lists reveal information about daily life in medieval monasteries and simultaneously reflect the reform efforts of their time.