On the use of caves in the Christian world during the Early Middle Ages (7th-10th century)

Abstract

At present it is almost unknown that caves were used very intensively by the Christian population of Europe and the Asia Minor provinces of the Byzantine Empire during the 7th to 10th century. The reasons for this
were partly profane, partly religious. Numerous caves served as places of  refuge in which threatened people sought security or, at least, hid their valuables, initially from the attacks of Arab mounted armies, later from the raids of Moslem Saracens, Vikings and Hungary. On the other hand especially many caves were inhabited by hermits or developed into cave-churches. However, only a few cult-caves from Antiquity were turned into places of Christian worship, e. g. the grotto of the Archangel Michael on the Monte Gargano und the supposed cave of Cacus beneath Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. In particular, it is apparent that the deserted caves of the Mithras cult were not turned into cave-churches, but at most were built over by churches. There is no clear archaeological evidence for the survival of heathen or superstitious offerings in caves, even in the famous Late Roman cult-cave of Zillis in the canton of Graubünden.