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To judge from the abundance of composite works that has come down to us, medieval artists and patrons delighted in mixing media. They wrapped relics in imported silks and housed them in reliquaries comprised of expertly cast and gilt bronze elements, finely set jewels, and colorful enamels; they bound exquisitely painted parchment in covers of carved ivory and engraved gold. Monasteries and cathedrals were multi-media projects par excellence. This course investigates the compound nature of objects and architecture produced during the Middle Ages, across Europe. We will examine diverse processes and conditions of production while pursuing questions of media signification and hierarchies. Contemporary texts will be read (in translation) alongside modern archaeological reports, conservation records, and works of art-historical analysis. Objects themselves, however, will be our primary guides; we will take full advantage of local collections.