Funded by a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dr Lucy Donkin's research project examines the cultural and religious significance of the floor-surface in the Middle Ages, with reference to the definition and representation of sacred space, the relationship between art and liturgy, and continuity with the ancient world. Focusing on Western Europe from the eighth to the early thirteenth century, with particular emphasis on Italy, it also considers responses to the practices of previous eras and of neighbouring societies. The study combines fieldwork and archival research, and employs a range of visual, archaeological, and textual evidence to explore four themes: the role of the unadorned ground in the construction and consecration of sacred buildings; the decorated pavement and related liturgies; conferment of sanctity by the tread of holy individuals; and desecration of holy objects underfoot. By addressing the floor-surface as a whole, Dr Donkin aims to demonstrate how successive layers of decoration and use shaped perceptions of sacred ground.