2018/2019

2019/2020

DM270

M-STO/09 (PALAEOGRAPHY)

DEPARTMENT OF MUSICOLOGY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

HUMANITIES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE STUDIES

PERCORSO COMUNE

2°

1st semester (23/09/2019 - 15/01/2020)

6

36 lesson hours

Italian

ORAL TEST

PRATO GIANCARLO (titolare) - 6 ECTS

A good knowledge of the Greek language is requested. The working path can be supported by a basic culture on the material structure of the codex, guaranteed by the class “Archeologia del libro manoscritto”.

The class provides the basic knowledge of the Greek handwriting history, from its origin to the humanistic age. It joins the evolution of the graphical forms to the wider history of written culture in the society, as well as the ability of reading and critically evaluating the Greek handwriting over the many phases and typologies of its course.

Brief summary of the greek handwriting from IV century to the humanistic age, with particolar emphasis to the canonized handwriting and to the styles and graphical types of the Greek-oriental and Southern Italian areas. Reading from the most significant greek manuscripts and deeper insight of codicological elements, forms of signature, abbreviations, byzantine chronology, illumination.

The class will be divided in theoretical and practical lessons. During the theoretical lessons, the student will be explained the evolution of the Greek handwriting in its outline. During the practice, with the aid of facsimiles, he or she will get the necessary tools to decipher both the majuscule and the minuscule handwriting, and to set it correctly in space and time. The classroom activity also includes the discussion on the texts indicated in bibliography and on other material given by the teacher.

– P. CANART, Lezioni di paleografia e di codicologia greca, Città del Vaticano 1980
(http://pyle.it/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/Canart_Lezioni_L.pdf)
– G. PRATO, Studi di paleografia greca, Spoleto, Centro Italiano di Studi sull’Alto Medioevo, 1994.
– Class Handouts.

During an oral exam the student will have to prove he or she has acquired the ability to read both the majuscule and the minuscule Greek handwriting, by correctly choosing the abbreviations and conveniently interpreting the forms of signature. He or she will also have to be able to distinguish any canonized or typified handwriting developed between the fourth and the fifteenth century, and consequently to date it and locate it.