39523 - History of Writing and Papyri (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2021/2022

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is able to competently and accurately decipher, transcribe and date ancient handwritings of different genres and text types. He or she is also able to identify and decipher different kinds of writing and to describe their historical development.

She or he knows to use different methods and techniques, traditional as well as innovative ones which belong to this aspect of papyrological research, and to work with new digital instruments in the field of the discipline.

Course contents

The course offers an introduction into the paleography of greek papyri and into ancient book history.

It will describe the history of writing from the hellenistic age until Arabic times, differenced according to genres (literary, semiliterary and documentary) and text types.

A special attention will be put on the delineation of formal aspects as format, text-layout and the different styles in literary and documentary texts.

The course will include practical exercises of decipherments of significant examples from different periods and genres.

Readings/Bibliography

E. Turner - P. J. Parsons, Greek Manuscripts of the Ancient World, second edition [BICS Suppl. 46], London 1987, pp. 1–23.

G. Cavallo, Greek and Latin Writing in the Papyri, in: R. S. Bagnall (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Papyrology, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009, pp. 101–148.

W. Johnson, The Ancient Book, in: R. S. Bagnall (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Papyrology, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009, pp. 256–281.

J.-L. Fournet, Disposition et réalisation graphique des lettres et des pétitions protobyzantines : Pour une paléographie « signifiante » des papyrus documentaires, in: J. Frösén - T. Purola - E. Salmenkivi (edd.), Proceedings of the 24. Congress of Papyrology, Helsinki, 1–7 August, 2004 [Comm. Hum. Litt. Vol. 122], Helsinki 2007, pp. 353–367.

Further literature and images of papyri will be furnished during the course in IOL by the professor.

Students who are not able to attend the lessons have to reach an agreement with the professor about an alternative program, and have to prepare besides the literature and the material uploaded by the professor C. H. Roberts, Greek Literary Hands, 350 B.C. – A.D. 400, Oxford 1955 and E. Turner - P. J. Parsons, Greek Manuscripts of the Ancient World, second edition [BICS Suppl. 46], London 1987.

Teaching methods

Lessons are taught ex-cathedra as well as in form of seminarial teaching. Students are welcome to take active part in the lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral exam about the themes of the lessons and the texts given in the bibliography; practical test in identifying text genre of an ancient handwriting and dating it. 

Intermediate tests will serve as a check of the learning outcome. The results can be considered for the final score.

The exam is passed if pupils answer correctly and in a proper way, deciphering, identifying and dating the text and show knowledge of the main features of the discipline. Outstanding knowledge of both the literature and the handwriting is evaluated at the maximum; good knowledge and ability in the analysis of the papyrus, but more mnemonic can earn a good evaluation; a knowledge with some mistakes and misunderstandings are sufficient to pass, serious lacunae in the knowledge of the literature and no skills in analyzing the handwriting do not allow to pass.

There are at least 6 possibilities per year to give the exam; the dates are published twice, normally in November for the first 4, and March-April for the last 2. All students must be listed on Almaesami and no students are allowed to give exams out of the public lists.

All students must be present at the call of the examination. No students are allowed to give exams out of the public lists.

Please check in advance if your administrative position is regular, otherwise you will not be admitted to the exam.

Teaching tools

The lessons will be held with Powerpoint presentations. Also original papyri of the Bologna collections will be studied. All texts commented on during the course will be available in IOL.

Office hours

See the website of Fabian Lothar Walter Reiter

SDGs

Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.