Automata are a somewhat forgotten legacy of the early modern world. Between 1500 and 1800, a series of these mechanical constructions that appeared to move without external intervention were created. Although the tradition of building automata dates back much further, technical evolution during the late Middle Ages and early modern period greatly expanded construction possibilities. In Europe, for instance, acquiring knowledge from the Arab world about harnessing water power, together with advances in clock technology, fueled the art of automaton-making. These developments increased the available sources of power, consequently allowing for more complex automata. Among the impressive early modern devices are monk figures that move and gesture as if preaching, clockworks depicting hunting scenes with meticulously designed figures, and a miniature ship that sails across banquet tables while its mechanical crew plays music and fires cannons to entertain guests.

With the exception of a few notable inventories cataloging extraordinary machines, historical research has barely acknowledged the numerous real and fictional automata of the early modern period. As a first step, this research project takes an exploratory approach, examining automata that were actually built within early modern Christianities. Focusing on “religious” automata offers the potential for new insights, as many automata from the early modern period were constructed in religious contexts, in addition to courts. These automata were widely used, challenging the assumption that premodern piety was hostile to technology. Adopting a global perspective, the project sheds light on the role of technology in religion by examining this distinctive form of “material religion.” It focuses on how technology constituted Christian communities, on the agency of objects, and on the relationship between humans and machines within the divine order of creation.

About the picture: Automaton of a Friar, mid-16th century (image: The Smithsonian).