HI 7107 Palaeography (10 ECTS)

Coordinator: Dr Gránne MacLaughlin
Duration: Semester 2: 2 hrs per week
Prerequisites: HH7702 Elementary Latin, or previous experience of Latin

This course aims to provide students with practical experience of transcribing medieval documents. The module will involve analysis of manuscript abbreviation and western scripts, normally including Roman, continental and insular scripts; Anglo-Saxon script, Caroline miniscule and protogothic scripts; Gothic book scripts (book scripts and cursive scripts); and papal chancery script.

Assessment:

written tests during the module (20%), translation and comprehension tests at end of module (80%). (In addition students will complete weekly transcription exercises.)

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:

• recognise and contextualise different types of medieval script
• recognise letter forms
• recognise and decode contractions and suspensions
• apply the rules of transcription
• identify appropriate bibliographical aids
• transcribe from facsimiles of medieval documents with a high degree of accuracy, both in class and independently