The Verona International Summer School in Medieval Manuscripts offers an intensive course in writing culture from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages (415-1500). Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, the 2020 edition is offered only via a digital platform (Moodle).
The Summer School offers an overview of the main elements of Latin paleography, showing the evolution of letterforms and most common abbreviation systems; the course consists of practical exercises, reading and transcribing several different types of script. It is open to students with some experience in Latin paleography, who wish to refresh or improve their skills.
In addition, the course provides training for historians, archaeologists, and textual scholars in the discipline of reading and interpreting medieval graffiti and epigraphic evidence, analyzed in their original context.
Participants must have elementary Latin in order to benefit from lectures; when applying, they should indicate whether they had any previous experience in Latin and Greek paleography.
Structure
This course lasts for five days. Lectures will be both recorded and live-streamed by experts in their respective fields, working both at Verona University, Culture & Civiltà Department, as well as in other institutions. Subject areas include Latin, Gothic, Greek, and Early Modern Italian paleography, illuminated manuscripts, codicology, liturgical and devotional manuscripts.
Most of the morning lectures will be offered as pre-recorded talks, exploring the outstanding original Late Antique and Medieval writing materials preserved at the Biblioteca Capitolare, the «Queen of all Late Antique and Medieval Libraries», according to E.A. Lowe. In the afternoons, recorded lectures will take turns with live Zoom meetings hosted by our lecturers in order to:
– offer practical sessions on manuscripts and charters;
– get specific insights through topics discussed during the morning sessions;
– answer attendees’ questions.
The importance of understanding graffiti and inscriptions within their archaeological and topographical contexts will be explored during virtual site visits to S. Giorgio/S. Elena, S. Zeno, and S. Maria in Stelle. These virtual visits will be led by experts in Medieval Archaeology, Art and Architecture History.
International Summer School in Medieval Palaeography: details and schedule
Dates: Verona, University of Verona and Capitular Library, 7th-11th September 2020
Scientific Board: Bassetti, T. Franco, R. McKitterick, Paolo de Paolis, P. Pellegrini, H. Reimitz, M. Stoffella.
Monday, 7th September
The University of Verona, Introducing the Verona Summer School and Medieval Palaeography
Noon-Evening
13.30 – 14.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Welcome
14.00 – 15.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Presentation of Lecturers and Students: researches in progress
15.00 – 15.15 – Pause
Introductory Lectures
15.15 – 16.45 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Manuscripts as a source for history from Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages (McKitterick)
16.45 – 17.00 — Pause
17.00 – 18.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) – Late Antique and Early Medieval Manuscripts: Palaeography and Codicology for advanced students (Bassetti)
18.00 – 19.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) – Late Antique and Early Medieval Manuscripts: Palaeography and Codicology for advanced students for beginners students (McKitterick)
Tuesday, 8th September
Virtual Visit to the Capitular Library
Morning – The monumental Heritage: Books and Laboratories
9.00 – 9.15 (Recorded Lecture) — The Chapter, the Library: more than 1500 years of history (Fasani)
9.15 – 9.30 (Recorded Lecture) – Introducing LAMEDAN and the cooperation of Verona University with the Capitular Library? (Pellegrini/Soldani/Bassetti)
10.00 – 10.30 (Recorded Lecture) — How to preserve a Medieval Library: Rules and Restrictions – How a Laboratory in Medieval Manuscripts and Charters Works (Brunelli/Brugnoli)
10.30 – 11.15 (Recorded Lecture) — Visit to the Laboratory: investigating Manuscripts (Daffara/Marchioro)
11.15 – 12.00 (Recorded Lecture) — Visit to the Laboratory: constructing a Database (Saletti)
13.00-15.00 — Lunch Break
Noon-Evening — The monumental Heritage: Books and Buildings
15.00-15.45 (Recorded Lecture) — Late Antique and Early Medieval Latin Manuscripts in Verona (Bassetti)
15.45-16-30 (Zoom meeting) — Late Antique and Early Medieval Latin Manuscripts in Verona (Bassetti)
16.30-16.45 Pause
16.45-17.30 (Recorded Lecture) — The St. Maria Cathedral Complex and the Canonical Carolingian church of St. Elena/St. Giorgio: architecture and liturgy between Late Antiquity and the High Middle Ages (F. Coden)
17.30-18.15 (Zoom meeting) — The St. Maria Cathedral Complex and the Canonical Carolingian church of St. Elena/St. Giorgio: architecture and liturgy between Late Antiquity and the High Middle Ages (F. Coden, M. Stoffella)
Wednesday, 9th September
Virtual Capitular Library
Morning — Late antique and early medieval Books (5th-8th centuries)
9.00 – 10.00 (Recorded Lecture) — The Codices vergiliani antiquiores and the Virgil Scholia in Late Antiquity: the Scholia Veronensia (de Paolis)
10.00 – 11.00 (Recorded Lecture) — Gothic and Arian Culture (Falluomini)
11.00 – 12.00 (Recorded Lecture) — Greek annotations in a bilingual world: the Scholia Veronensia (Scattolin)
13.00 – 15.00 — Lunch Break
Noon-Evening – Late antique and early medieval Books (5th-8th centuries)
15.00 – 16.15 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Jerome’s De viris illustribus and the Liber Pontificalis (McKitterick)
16.15 – 16.30 Pause
16.30 – 18.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Practical session in Late Antique Latin Manuscripts (Bassetti, McKitterick, Tronca, Stoffella)
18.00 – 19.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Practical session in Greek Palaeography (Scattolin)
Thursday, 10th September
Virtual Capitular Library
Morning — The Early Middle Ages: Books and Charters (8th-10th centuries)
9.00 – 10.15 (Recorded Lecture) — Representing early medieval Verona: the Iconografia rateriana, the Versus de Verona and the Passio et translatio sanctorum Firmi et Rustici (Stoffella)
10.15 – 12.00 (Recorded Lecture) — Writing Books, Writing Charters in Carolingian and post-Carolingian Verona (Bassetti, Stoffella)
12.00 – 13.00 (Recorded Lecture) — Keeping the Capitular Library updated: Canonical Law Collections (Tronca)
13.00 – 15.00 — Lunch Break
Noon-Evening — The Early Middle Ages: Books and Charters (8th-10th centuries)
15.00 – 18.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — Practical Session on Early Medieval Latin Manuscripts and Charters (Bassetti, McKitterick, Stoffella, Tronca)
Friday, 11th September
Virtual Capitular Library
Morning — From the High to the Late Middle Ages: Books, Charters, and Monuments (11th-14th centuries)
9.00 – 9.45 (Recorded Lecture) — Passionaries in the Early Middle Ages: general overview and focus on Verona XCV (90) (Saiani)
9.45 – 10.30 (Recorded Lecture) — Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts in Verona from the 8th to the 13th century (Zibordi)
10.30 – 11.15 (Recorded Lecture) — Literary Works and Renewed Readers (Pellegrini)
11.15 – 13.00 (Recorded Lecture) — St. Zeno in the Early and High Middle Ages: Manuscripts and Documents (Bassetti, Stoffella, Varanini)
13.00 – 15.00 – Lunch Break
Virtual visit to S. Zeno Abbey
Noon-Evening — From a Sanctuary to an Abbey. The transformations of St. Zeno from the 5th to the 14th century: architecture, epigraphic, paleography, history
15.00 – 15.45 (Recorded Lecture) — St. Zeno: architecture and decorations (Franco)
15.45 – 16.30 (Live – Zoom meeting) — St. Zeno: epigraphic (Buonopane/Bertolazzi)
16.30 – 17.15 (Live – Zoom meeting) — St. Zeno: paleography and graffiti (Bassetti)
17.15 – 18.00 (Live – Zoom meeting) — St. Zeno: history (Stoffella)
18.00 – 18.30 (Live – Zoom meeting) Feedbacks and greetings (Bassetti, McKitterick, Stoffella, etc.)
Applications
The full program of 2020 Summer School (recorded lectures and live Zoom meetings) is open to a maximum of 20 students. Attendees are asked to submit a short statement of why they wish to take the course together with a CV. Non-selected applicants will still have the chance to enroll for the light program of the Summer School (please, see below). In order to apply, you are kindly asked to write as soon as possible to [email protected]
with your CV attached. You will receive an application form and the instructions for the bank transfer. Your completed application form and your bank statement must be sent back via email before August, 31st, 2020.
Fees and Payments
Student Five-Day full program Fee (recorded and live-streamed sessions): Euro 120,00.
Student Five-Day light program Fee (recorded-only sessions, available after September, 11th): Euro 60,00.
Fees include attendance (recorded and live-streamed sessions for the full program, recorded-only sessions for the light one), and a wide range of teaching and bibliographical material (for both programs), available on our Moodle.
Payments must follow the indications given by the Scientific Coordinators per email.
