SCHEDULE

As of 15 August
This schedule changes. Please check back.

Assignments are in the Notes section. Weeks 5-8 , Weeks 9-12, Weeks 13-16

festina lente

WEEK 1 Introduction

 

WEEK 2 Materials MEET AT AMHERST COLLEGE (Frost Library, level A, Archives and Special Collections)

    Th 12 Sept. Handling mss. and mss. production
    • Bischoff, pp. 1-49.
    • O'Brien O'Keefe, "Caedmon's Hymn" in Richards.
    • On reserve: David Diringer (browse).
    • Nellhaus, "Momento" in Hindman, Printing.
    • Read Amherst A&SC terms of use.



    Presentations: 1. Using manuscripts. Rules, regulations, and sound advice for handling Amherst's mss and incunabulae.

    2. Myths of the Origins of Writing. Topics to consider: orality versus literacy, memory and record, generic limitations on memory, writing as dialect, ars rhetorica.



WEEK 3 Palaeography

    Th 19 Sept. Methods and Categories
    • Bischoff, pp. 49-80;
    • On reserve (DuBois): Irvine, Textual Culture, chapter 8 (pp. 324ff.)
    • Essay by Julian Brown: on-line.
    • Links to palaeography sites; intro to medieval pal.



    Presentation: Ancient Libraries of the Mediterranean. Topics to consider: rationale, methods of organization, Ezra, manuscript variation, stemmata.

 

WEEK 4 Applied Palaeography

    Th 26 Sept. Anglo-Saxon manuscripts

    • Bischoff, pp. 83-145.
    • Dumville in Richards, Basic Readings.
    • On reserve: Keefer, New Approaches, pp. 11-20 (Irvine); browse Conner & Keefer.



    Presentation: National Hands. Topics to consider: modes of editing, reconstruction and prescription, Morrison's political view, methods of organization, Ezra (again), house styles.


Weeks 5-8

Weeks 9-13