Paleography Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Palaeography and Its Scope

Covers the discipline's definition, boundaries, and relationship to diplomatics and codicology. Anchors all subsequent skill-building in a clear conceptual framework.

Lesson 2 • History of Written Script

Traces script evolution from ancient inscriptions through medieval manuscripts to early print. Provides chronological context for identifying script families.

Lesson 3 • Research Methods and Resources

Surveys reference tools, digital repositories, and scholarly databases used in palaeographic research. Students gain a practical toolkit for independent manuscript investigation.

Lesson 1 • Papyrus, Parchment, and Paper

Compares production, texture, and durability of each substrate and their effect on ink behaviour. Material knowledge aids dating and provenance assessment.

Lesson 2 • Codicological Evidence in Manuscripts

Integrates quire structure, binding evidence, and flyleaf analysis with script study. Physical book evidence corroborates palaeographic dating conclusions.

Lesson 3 • Writing Instruments Through Time

Examines reed pens, quills, metal nibs, and styli and their influence on letterform angle and stroke. Tool recognition informs script attribution.

Lesson 4 • Ruling, Layout, and Page Design

Covers pricking, ruling techniques, and column layout conventions that structured the written page. Layout analysis contributes to dating and workshop identification.

Lesson 1 • Carolingian Minuscule Development

Traces the reform and standardisation of Carolingian minuscule as a pan-European script. Students identify classic Carolingian features and regional variants.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Carolingian National Hands

Examines Insular, Visigothic, Beneventan, and Merovingian scripts as regional adaptations of Latin writing. Regional identification requires attention to specific letterform clusters.

Lesson 3 • Uncial and Half-Uncial Scripts

Analyses rounded uncial letterforms and the transitional half-uncial that bridges majuscule and minuscule. Identifies diagnostic letters for each script.

Lesson 1 • Dating and Localising Gothic Scripts

Applies diagnostic criteria—letterform, abbreviation, and layout—to assign date ranges and regions. Integrates codicological and textual evidence for robust conclusions.

Lesson 2 • Textualis: Quadrata and Prescissa

Analyses the formal book hands of Gothic Textualis, focusing on feet, biting, and hairlines. Quadrata and Prescissa represent the highest grade of Gothic formality.

Lesson 3 • Bastarda and Secretary Hands

Covers Bastarda as a prestige vernacular script and Secretary as the dominant administrative hand. Both require recognition of looped ascenders and specific letter clusters.

Lesson 4 • Gothic Cursiva and Hybrida

Examines the cursive Gothic hands used in documents and books and the hybrid forms blending cursive and book features. Cursiva variants are the most common medieval documentary hands.

Lesson 1 • Italic and Chancery Scripts

Analyses the slanted, cursive Italic hand developed for speed and elegance in chancery contexts. Distinguishes formal Italic from informal cursive variants.

Lesson 2 • Humanist Capitals and Epigraphy

Examines the revival of Roman epigraphic capitals in manuscripts and inscriptions. Humanist capitals signal prestige and classical orientation in a text.

Lesson 3 • Humanist Minuscule Origins

Traces the deliberate revival of Carolingian minuscule by Florentine humanists as an anti-Gothic reform. Identifies the diagnostic clarity and regularity of humanist letterforms.

Lesson 1 • Handling Damaged and Unclear Text

Teaches conventions for lacunae, erasures, interlineations, and illegible passages in transcription. Standardized notation preserves scholarly transparency about textual uncertainty.

Lesson 2 • Transcription Workflow and Quality Control

Establishes a repeatable workflow: first pass, verification, peer review, and final check. Quality control procedures reduce error rates in published transcriptions.

Lesson 3 • Expanding Abbreviations Systematically

Provides a step-by-step method for resolving abbreviations using context, language, and reference tools. Systematic expansion prevents guesswork and ensures reproducibility.

Lesson 4 • Normalized and Critical Editions

Covers regularization of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization for normalized editions. Introduces apparatus criticus conventions for variant readings.

Lesson 1 • Internal Evidence for Dating

Extracts chronological data from colophons, dated documents within the text, and scribal notes. Internal evidence provides the most direct dating anchors.

Lesson 2 • Constructing a Paleographic Argument

Synthesizes script, material, and textual evidence into a coherent scholarly argument. Students practice writing defensible, nuanced dating and localization statements.

Lesson 3 • Localizing Scripts to Regions

Identifies regional script markers through systematic comparison with localized exemplars. Localization requires distinguishing regional habits from individual scribe variation.

Lesson 4 • Scribe Identification and Hand Analysis

Applies consistent criteria—ductus, module, specific letterforms—to identify individual scribal hands. Hand identification enables reconstruction of scriptoria and collaborative projects.

Lesson 1 • Data Standards and Interoperability

Covers TEI XML encoding, IIIF manifests, and linked data principles for sharing paleographic data. Standards ensure long-term accessibility and cross-project reuse.

Lesson 2 • Multispectral and RTI Imaging

Introduces multispectral imaging for recovering faded text and RTI for surface texture analysis. These techniques reveal features invisible to standard photography.

Lesson 3 • Digital Annotation and Transcription Platforms

Surveys platforms such as Transkribus, FromThePage, and IIIF viewers for collaborative transcription. Platform selection depends on project scale and collaboration needs.

Lesson 4 • Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR)

Explains HTR model training, validation, and error analysis for automated manuscript transcription. HTR accelerates large-scale projects but requires expert oversight.