ABSTRACT
The afterlife spaces of heaven and hell were depicted in various ways during the Middle Ages. Abraham's bosom was not necessarily shown in the heavenly realm, but it certainly was generally placed above hell. Consideration of linguistic aspects of Luke's gospel is important to understanding not only the term 'Abraham's bosom' but also how it came to be depicted in a Christian context. The use of a cloth to cover the hands when holding revered or sacred objects, the manus velantae, has pre-Christian antecedents, and in the visual lexicon of Christian depictions also came to be associated with the afterlife and with souls. Many scholars referred to Abraham's bosom as a place of rest and refreshment for souls, but they are ambiguous about its precise location. The parable of Dives and Lazarus and the concept of Abraham's bosom provoked much debate regarding the fate of souls after death throughout the early Christian and medieval periods.
