Cyclicity and linearity of time in the perception of people of the Middle Ages according to written and visual sources

The article analyzes the phenomenon of cyclicality and linearity of time perception by people of the Christian Middle Ages using written and visual sources. The anthropological turn in historical science that occurred in the mid-20th century actualizes the “human dimension” of history, the study of which is impossible without referring to the cultural monuments of the past. The post-industrial era has accelerated the pace of social time many times over, exacerbating, among other things, the psychological problem of its perception and increasing shortage. Solving the problems of modern times is impossible without referring to their origins, which, in turn, increases the social relevance of this study. Representatives of the French Annales School addressed the problem of studying the worldview of a medieval person, and in particular, the perception of time. Nevertheless, a number of aspects of this problem are considered in this article for the first time. Thus, the article analyzes for the first time the reflection of the perception of the time of day in the Middle Ages according to Abelard’s work “The History of My Misfortunes”. An original analysis of some visual images is conducted to reflect in them the ambivalent (simultaneously cyclical and linear) perception of time by the medieval consciousness.