The course gives an introduction to the deciphering and understanding of medieval legal, administrative and economic documents, through the reading of selected charters from the XIIth to the XIVth century.
Mandatory readings to be completed during the first two weeks of the course:
Abbreviation system
T. De Robertis, Questioni preliminari e generali, «Medioevo e Rinascimento», 7 (1993), 161-193 (in particolare 167-174). http://www.ductus.it (sezione Ultimi contributi).
Chronology
A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme del documento medievale, Roma, Jouvence, 1979, pp. 111-123 (Usi cronologici)
Materials of writing
H. Bresslau, Manuale di diplomatica per la Germania e l’Italia, Roma, Ministero per i Beni culturali e Ambientali – Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Archivistici, 1998 pp. 1093-1123 (Le materie scrittorie)
Basic notions
A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme cit., pp. 7-12 (Principi generali e definizioni) pp. 13-23 (Cenni di storia della diplomatica)
A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme cit., pp. 57-65 (Caratteri estrinseci), 67-79 (Caratteri intrinseci).
Further bibliography will be recommended in the class.
Learning Objectives
Students will gain the ability to read and analyze primary sources and to use reference works and auxiliary materials (dictionaries, finding aids, chronological handbooks, databases, critical editions of documents. They will gain famliarity with basic knowledge of diplomatics and of the historical conditions of the creation and preservation of the documents, as well as with various types of handwriting (diplomatic hand) from the XIIth to the XIVth century (including specific forms of abbreviations and dating methods) and with the techniques and principles of diplomatic transcription and editing.
Prerequisites
The precondition of participating in the course is the knowlegde of Latin on basic level. As for Erasmus students: good skills in reading and speaking italian.
Teaching Methods
36 hours course. The main part of the course will consist of practical work sessions, both in oral reading and in written transcription. Photocopies/digital images of charters to be discussed in class will be made available in advance on the Moodle platform (http://e-l.unifi.it/) and students are expected to prepare for each class by consulting dictionaries and handbooks. There will be weekly assignments to be prepared for common work in class. Since the course puts a strong emphasis on practical skills, regular attendance (at least 12 classes out of 15) and preparation is required.
Type of Assessment
The final exam will consist of (a) the transcriptions, analysis and summarize of a charter not studied before (to be delivered at least one week before the exam date); the test is compulsory;
(b) reading and commenting some of the tables illustrated during the lessons (the list will be provided at the end of the course);
(c) discussion of the topics dealt with during lessons and of the bibliography. Remember that all the material distributed during the lessons (and available on the moodle platform) is an integral part of the exam preparation and the oral exam.
Grading will be based on a combination of class work (50%) and the final exam (50%).
Course program
The course will consist of essentially of the practice of reading charters, getting familiar with chancellery and notarial hands, formulae, forms and types of charters, mainly Italian. The course offers an introduction to the basic elements of medieval Latin paleography, and it tries to enable the students to work with primary sources in their ‘original’ form. Special attention will be paid to the script and to the system of abbreviations, as well as to the survey of diplomatic terms, parts and forms of charters and written documents, and to the techniques and principles of historical and diplomatic transcription and editing.
Main subjects:
Abbreviation system; basic notions of chronology.
What is a document in diplomatic sense.
Phisical and internal features of the medieval document.
Pivate and public (imperial and papal) charters.
The function and documents of public notaries in the Middle Ages.
Principles and practice of charter editing.