Università Roma Tre

Codicology
The course aims to address the study of the characteristics of manuscripts, Latin and Greek, with particular regard to their value for philological and historical-cultural studies. In this regard, the external characteristics of the manuscript will be examined (material techniques for preparing the book as a physical object, ways and means of production, with regard to the professional figures involved in the production process), as well as the cultural landscape of the times and places of origin of the manuscript books. An in-depth study will be devoted to the methods and problems of description of the late medieval codices. This course will include both the examination of reproductions of manuscripts, in paper and electronic format, and the direct examination of manuscripts and writing materials, through visits to archives and libraries.

The final exam will include the knowledge of the material provided during lessons and the discussion of one subject which the student will decide to study in depth. In addition students are required to study the following texts:
• M. Maniaci, Breve storia del libro manoscritto, Roma, Carocci, 2019;
• M. L. Agati, Il libro manoscritto da Oriente a Occidente. Per una codicologia comparata, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Roma 2009 (a selection of chapters);
• M. Cursi, Le forme del libro. Dalla tavoletta cerata all’e-book, Il Mulino, Bologna 2016, cap. III (pp. 97-160);
• Two articles among those presented during the course.