PV2B48 Codicology in Practice. Medieval Manuscripts

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lukáš Führer, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Dalibor Havel, Ph.D.
Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Martina Maradová
Supplier department: Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 8:00–9:40 B2.11
Prerequisites
Students are expected to have a basic grounding in codicology as well as working with archival sources and the appropriate language skills (Latin, German).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 10 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/10, only registered: 0/10, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/10
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At the seminars, students will use original archive material (in the Brno City Archive) to acquire the basic methodology for working with Medieval manuscripts. Attention will be focused mainly on the archaeology of manuscripts, their external features and specific characteristics so that the student is able to describe, interpret and understand the origin and development of the Medieval manuscript, and describe them according to modern principles of manuscript description.
Learning outcomes
Upon finishing the course students will be able to:
- understand the origins and genesis of Medieval manuscripts
- analyse the composition and structure of Medieval manuscripts
- identify the contents of selected manuscripts based on external symbols and layout
- practically apply findings on the origin and form of specific manuscripts
- compile a catalogued list according to the Rules for Manuscript Inventories
Syllabus
  • The origin of the manuscript: • writing materials (parchment, papyrus, paper, wax plates) • preparation of writing material, preparation of a text mirror, layout of Medieval manuscripts • organization of Medieval scriptoria, Medieval scribes and illuminators at work • binding of manuscripts and their typology, blind stamping
  • Book decoration: system of decorating Medieval manuscripts, decoration programme, concepts (illuminations, miniature, initials, borders, chapters, chrysographies, incipit, explicit, rosettes etc.)
  • Structure and composition of manuscripts: folders, reclamantes, curators
  • The principles and issues associated with describing manuscripts according to the Commission for the Inventory and Study of Manuscripts
Literature
  • Handschriften des Mittelalters : Grundwissen Kodikologie und Paläographie. Edited by Mathias Franc Kluge. 2. Auflage. Ostfildern: Thorbecke. 200 stran. ISBN 9783799505772. 2015. info
  • HAMEL, Christopher de: Mediavel Craftsmen. Scribes and Illuminators. British Museum Press, 1992. ISBN 0714120499
  • BROWN, Michelle P.: Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts. A Guide to Technical Terms. Malibu: Paul Getty Museum and London: British Library, 1994. ISBN 0-89236-217-0
  • STAMMBERGER, Ralf M. W. Scriptor und Scriptorium : das Buch im Spiegel mittelalterlicher Handschriften. Graz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt. 134 s. ISBN 3201017973. 2003. info
  • PRAŽÁK, Jiří – HOFFMANN, František – KEJŘ, Jiří – ZACHOVÁ, Irena. Zásady popisu rukopisů. Sborník Národního muzea – C XXVIII, Praha 1983, s. 49–95.
  • PRAŽÁK, Jiří. Kodikologie, její postavení, metoda a úkoly. Studie o rukopisech XIII, 1974, s. 3–17
  • HLAVÁČEK, Ivan. Knihy a knihovny v českém středověku. ISBN 80-246-0917-7. 2005. info
  • HLAVÁČEK, Ivan. Úvod do latinské kodikologie. 2. dopl. vyd. Praha: Karolinum. 96 s. ISBN 80-7066-883-0. 1994. info
  • OLEXÁK, Peter. Kodikológia. Ružomberok: Katolícka univerzita v Ružomberku, Filozofická fakulta. 130 s. ISBN 9788080842413. 2007. info
Teaching methods
At the introductory seminars, students will acquire a theoretical knowledge about the origin, composition, structure and decoration of Medieval manuscripts, and then under the guidance of a tutor will apply this knowledge to original manuscripts and fragments in the Brno City Archive.
Assessment methods
The criteria for being awarded a credit are active participation at the seminars, a short paper describing the results of a manuscript analysis to colleagues, and a written assessment of one manuscript based on the Principles for Describing Manuscripts.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2019, recent)
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