The course goes over types of writing in use between the 12th and 18th centuries - writing in books, cursive script, diplomatic script. Their relationships to each other and their development, procedures for dating examples and how to actually write in the various scripts, all this is covered. Students will learn systems of abbreviation and work through exercises in decoding.
Aims
Upon completion of the course in Medieval and Modern Paleography, students should be able to :
- characterize, in theoretical and practical terms, the main types of Western writing systems;
- master the principal systems of abbreviations;
- decipher a medieval manuscript in Latin or in French.
