Petrae, Arbores et Fontes through the Ages

This chapter explores historiographical approaches to the condemnations of vota ad petras, arbores et fontes from the early modern period to the present. It argues that reading them as ‘survivals’ of Roman or pre-Roman religion reflects Enlightenment and Romantic traditions, especially Tylor's theory of ‘cultural survivals’. Mid-20th-century scholarship often reinforced the idea of static rural ‘popular’ religion within an urban/rural opposition that still informs much research. Later, Marxist humanism and the New Cultural History emphasised historical dynamism, stressing the capacity of communities and individuals to adapt and innovate. By reassessing these models, the chapter highlights persistent interpretive legacies and invites fresh perspectives on popular religion in Late Antiquity.