CODICOLOGY

The cours aims to give students the basic knowledge for the study of medieval and modern manuscripts. Learnig objectives: basic knowledge of the material, historical and cultural aspects of manuscripts, basic principles of manuscript cataloguing.

Knowledge and skills
Knowledge of the basic elements of the manuscripts
Knowledge of material, historical and cultural aspects of the manuscripts
Knowledge of the basic principles of manuscript cataloguing

Ability to know and to understand
To be able to recognize and distinguish the different aspects of manuscripts
To be able to recognize and distinguish the material, historical and cultural aspects of the manuscripts
To be able to read and understand the description of a manuscript

Judgment skills
To be able to evaluate the different aspects of the manuscripts

Communication skills
To be able to communicate manuscripts, using an appropriate terminology

Learning skills
To be able to consult reference texts and the literature discussed during classes

No prior knowledge is required, but philological and/or historical skills can help.

The course aims to provide an introduction to the history of the book in codex form between the Classical Greco-Roman age and the Humanistic age by studying its material aspects in relation to the history of written culture
Contents:
forms of the book from the scroll to the codex
material of the support (papyrus, parchment, paper);
preparation and construction of the codex (preparation of fascicles)
page preparation and text copying;
writing instruments and inks;
the scribe at work (subdivision and organisation of the copy);
codex structure in relation to the text (unitary, miscellaneous, complex codices);
notions of catalographic description.

Mandatory:
M. Maniaci, Breve storia del libro manoscritto, Roma, Carocci, 2019
A. Petrucci, Dal manoscritto antico al manoscritto moderno, in A. Petrucci, Letteratura italiana. Una storia attraverso la scrittura, Roma, Carocci, 2017, pp. 111-126.

For specific aspects see M. Maniaci, Terminologia del libro manoscritto, Roma-Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 1996 (available online: https://www.academia.edu/2583583/M_Maniaci_Terminologia_del_libro_manoscritto ). For general aspects is recommended: M.L. Agati, Il libro manoscritto da oriente a occidente. Per una codicologia comparata, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2009, pp. 29-215; as an orientation, M. Maniaci, Breve storia del libro manoscritto, Roma, Carocci editore, 2019, can be useful.

Non-attending students must also read: M.L. Agati, Il libro manoscritto da oriente a occidente. Per una codicologia comparata, Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2009

The verification of learning takes place by means of a written test. The written test consists of a 15-question questionnaire on the topics of the examination texts and the topics covered in the lecture. For non-attending students, the questions will also cover the supplementary text.
Books, notes and electronic media may not be used during the written examination.
The examination will be evaluated according to the following parameters:
the student's ability to convey the knowledge acquired in a personal and critical manner, demonstrating the use of language appropriate to the subject matter and the mastery of the expressive medium will be evaluated with marks ranging from excellent to good; a mnemonic knowledge of the subject matter, together with the ability to synthesise and analyse articulated in a correct but not always appropriate language, will lead to fair marks; formative gaps and/or inappropriate language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to marks that do not exceed sufficiency; formative gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographical materials offered during the course will be assessed negatively.

Lectures will be conducted in presence, with the aid of power point and internet connection for access to digital collections. Visits to libraries for practical lessons on manuscripts are planned.

Italian

Attendance is strongly recommanded.

written