04100 - Latin Palaeography

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows in detail the history and development of Western hanwriting until the invention of printing, through the study and the analysis of different writings made with methods, tools and documentation of the paleography.

He acquires a critical knoweldge of the writing history; he is also able  to study the manuscripts in its cultural context, time and space.

Course contents

The course aims to provide the knowledge required to read and to date the Latin manuscripts, with particular attention to the late medieval period, the Renaissance and the early modern age.

Main arguments of the course:

1. methods, tools and terminology of the paleography;

2. history of the Latin writing with regard to the graphic and cultural aspects.  The period from the beginning to the early Middle Ages will be treated in summary form. The development  of the writing  between the late Middle Ages and the invention of printing will be instead  studied analytically.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings for attendant students:
1. One books among the following:
A. Petrucci, Breve storia della scrittura latina, Roma, Bagatto Libri, 1989.
B. Bischoff, Paleografia latina. Antichità e Medioevo, a c. di G. Mantovani e S. Zamponi, Padova, Antenore, 1992.
G. Cencetti, Lineamenti di storia della scrittura latina, ristampa a c. di G. Guerrini Ferri, Bologna, Pàtron Editore, 1997.
P. Cherubini - A. Pratesi, Paleografia latina. L'avventura grafica del mondo occidentale, Città del Vaticano, Scuola Vaticana di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica, 2010 (Littera antiqua, 16).

2. A. Petrucci, Letteratura italiana: una storia attraverso la scrittura, Roma, Carocci, 2017 (3 essays at the choice).

3. Materials distributed in class are available at the link Educational  repository of Unibo web site (facsimiles of manuscripts, transcriptions and chapter on the origin of Carolingian writing from P. Cherubini- A. Pratesi, Paleografia latina. L'avventura grafica del mondo occidentale, Città del Vaticano 2004, pp. 357-381).

Students non attending to the lectures are invited to contact the teacher to agree an alternative work program for the examination

Teaching methods

Lectures with the support of Power Point and Internet for access to collections of digitized manuscripts.

Reading exercises, recognition, dating of handwriting on facsimiles of manuscripts.

Assessment methods

The exam will include a written transcript of a manuscript facsimile (1 leaf), that will be assigned at the end of the course. This text will be evaluated with the oral examination of the acquired knowledge on the topics discussed in the lesson and on the bibliography suggested. The discussion will base also on the reading of facsimiles of manuscripts illustrated and discussed in class.

It will be evaluated very positive or positive the student's ability to demonstrate the acquired knowledge in a personal and critical way, using an appropriate language.More than sufficient will be evaluated the mnemonic knowledge, expressed with conciveness, in a correct language but not very appropriate. Sufficient will be evaluated the basic knowledge expressed with inappropriate language. Insufficient will be evaluated the incomplete knowledge of the readings, the incorrect and inappropriate language, the inability to manage bibliographies and texts analized during the lessons.

Teaching tools

Lectures alternated with reading exercises of facsimiles of manuscripts distributed in class.

In view of the practical aspect of the teaching, attendance is strongly recommended.

Educational visits at libraries in Ravenna and Bologna are to be planned.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Degni