B004094 - LATIN PALEOGRAPHY

Italian

The course will introduce to the history and development of Latin handwriting, through the presentation of books, charters and scripts from the Classical age to the Renaissance in Latin West.

Mandatory readings to be completed during the first two weeks of the course:


B. Bischoff, Paleografia latina, Padova, Antenore 1992, pp. 7-52 (Materiali e strumenti scrittori)
T. De Robertis, Questioni preliminari e generali, «Medioevo e Rinascimento», 7 (1993), pp. 161-193 (in particolare 167-174)(www.ductus.it sezione Biblioteca → Articoli (sul sistema abbreviativo).



During the second part of the course further special bibliography will be suggested.

The course will introduce to the principal stages of the development of Latin script, from the Irst to the XVth century. Students will gain the ability to work with primary sources in their original form; they will gain familiarity with the tecnniques and principles of the palaeographical analysis. Special attention will be paid to the study of writing materials and tools, to the physical features of books and documents, to the abbreviation system. In the second part of the course a particular case-study will be discussed (in 2016-17 academic year: The origin of humanistic script).

The precondition of participating in the course is the knowlegde of Latin at least on mid level. As for Erasmus students: good skills in reading and speaking italian.

72 hours course. The main part of the course will consist of practical work sessions (analysis of the handwrinting, oral reading and writtem transcription). Photocopies/digital images of charters to be discussed in class will be made available in advance on the Moodle platform (http://e-l.unifi.it/) and students are expected to prepare for each class. There will be weekly assignments to be prepared for common work in class. Since the course puts a strong emphasis on practical skills, regular attendance (at least 30 classes out of 36) and preparation is required.

The exam will consist of:
a) transcribing a text (a page of a manuscript or a document) to be completed in class at the end of the course, as agreed.
b) written paleographic analysis ( to be delivered at least one week before the exam date) of one of the testimonies examined in the second part of the course.
The two writings are indispensable for access to the oral exam.
c) reading and commenting some of the tables illustrated during the lessons (the list will be provided at the end of the course);
d) Discussion of the topics dealt with during lessons and of the bibliography. Remember that all the material distributed during the lessons (and available on the moodle platform) is an integral part of the exam preparation and the oral exam.

Definition and historical ground of Palaeography (research field, method and purpose).
Methods and principles of palaographical analysis: writing as a system of signs; relationship between ductus and letter forms; writing angle; size and weight. Writing techiniques: formal hand (to write stroke after stroke), cursive hand (currenti calamo scribere); different forms of letter; ligatures; majuscule and minuscule scripts; style.
Writing objects: materials, shape and use; writing tools. Scribal practices. Short history of mediaeval manuscript production.
Introduction to mediaeval handwriting in the Latin West from the Roman Age to the dawn of print.
Main mediaeval systems of abbreviation.
Principles of transcription.
Exercises in identifying, dating, and transcribing various scripts.

In-depth program: The oldest documents in the Italian language