What Types of Medieval Monuments Are Included in the Effigies & Brasses Collection?

Updated

EffigiesAndBrasses.com is a collection of images of medieval monumental tombs, focused on European monuments from the 12th to 15th centuries, with the majority falling in the 14th century. Most of the monuments listed are either effigies or brasses; the remainder are incised slabs, half-reliefs, and other miscellaneous representations.

Monument Types in the Collection

The site describes its holdings in two tiers: the dominant categories and the smaller remainder.

Primary types

  • Effigies — three-dimensional sculpted representations of the deceased, typically recumbent, placed on or within a tomb.
  • Brasses — flat metal plates (commonly brass) set into stone, incised with a figure and often an inscription.

These two categories account for most of the monuments listed.

Other included types

  • Incised slabs — stone slabs carved with a recessed outline or figure rather than a raised effigy.
  • Half-reliefs — figures carved in partial relief.
  • Miscellaneous representations — other forms of monumental commemoration that do not fit the categories above.

Geographic and Chronological Scope

Dimension Coverage
Geography European monuments
Time period 12th to 15th centuries
Concentrated period 14th century (majority of monuments)

The collection is explicitly described as focused on European monuments, so it is not a global survey of medieval tomb art.

What the Site Reports About Its Own Size

The homepage lists current statistics:

  • Images: 6,479
  • Monuments: 3,422
  • Countries: 23

Recent additions span England, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Cyprus, with individual entries dated between 1292 and 1456 — consistent with the stated 12th–15th century range.

Practical Notes for Users

  • The site is organized around images of monuments, not around full scholarly catalog entries, so it works best as a visual reference collection.
  • Navigation includes Home, Search, Tags, Sources, About, plus related projects (Manuscript Miniatures, Aquamanilia, Armour in Art).
  • An "Image of the Day" feature highlights a single monument — for example, Raoul de Layer, 1292, France.
  • If you need monuments outside Europe, or outside the 12th–15th century window, this collection is unlikely to cover them.