Across all times and cultures, mankind has attached great importance to the foundation of buildings, cities and communities. By means of rituals of foundation, dedication and consecration, buildings and objects are charged with meaning. At the same time, these rituals bear witness of the way communities understand their own place in history, and how they position themselves in relation to others. As such, the study of these rituals deepens our understanding of society at large. Bringing together contributions from art history, architectural history, historiography and history of law, this volume is the first comprehensive exploration of the manifold meanings of foundation, dedication and consecration in early modern culture, which combined a renewed interest in notions of origins, history and identity with an exceptionally rich production of artefacts. Contributors include Piers Baker-Bates, Jorge Correia, Roger J. Crum, Maarten Delbeke, Alison C. Fleming, Dagmar Germonprez, Carmelina Gugliuzzo, Berthold Hub, Indra Kagis McEwen, Susan J. May, Brian J. Maxson, Anne-Fran oise Morel, Almut Pollmer, Bernward Schmidt, Minou Schraven, Andrew Spicer, and Colin Wilder.