Pilgrims and votives at war memorials: A vow to remember

Abstract

Votive deposition is an ancient practice, forming a key component of pilgrimage, which manifests an agreement between a pilgrim and a deity. At war memorials, tourists deposit votives such as wreaths, ‘from home’, to the dead for their sacrifice. These acts help to maintain social memories of war. Observations at memorials in the UK, France and Belgium identified ritualization of votive form and statistical analysis confirmed that memorial design influenced their placement. Deposition was associated with connections between the dead and their nation, family and community. Personal relationships were associated with variation in votive form, but not in placement. The study proposes a Model of votive deposition comprising the pilgrim, site, votive and the dead, in fulfillment of a vow.