PV1A311 Latin Script and Book Culture in the Middle Ages I (800-1200)

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Dalibor Havel, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Dalibor Havel, Ph.D.
Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Olga Barová
Supplier department: Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
!NOW( AR1A311 Latin Script and Book Cult.I )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This series of lectures and seminars is based on methods of Latin paleography, codicology and epigraphy and aims to provide students with a basic overview of the development of Latin script in the period from the 9th to the end of the 12th century. For this period of history, students should become familiar with: a) the typology and dating of Latin script in books, charters and inscription texts in the period from the beginning of the Carolingian Renaissance to the beginning of Gothic period; b) the paleographic characteristics of individual script types of this era; c) paleographic analysis and comparison; d) the transcription of medieval Latin texts; e) an overview of basic literature and editions, including the history of research on the Latin script of this period; f) the textual tradition of ancient and medieval texts through scriptoria; g) the typology of Latin literary and diplomatic texts and understanding the functioning of medieval scribal schools and their manifestations in the external and internal features of preserved book relics; i) the typological determination of liturgical books of Latin West.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- apply their knowledge of the development of script from the 9th to the 12th century to specific sources, particularly for dating undated texts and determining their possible provenance;
- transcribe and prepare selected original texts from the period 800-1200 for a critical edition;
- read and analyse original Latin texts (inscriptions, books and charters) from the period 800-1200.
Syllabus
  • Origin of Carolingian minuscule, the Schola Palatina at the end of the 8th century.
  • Bavarian scribal schools; archaic Carolingian minuscule in the 9th century.
  • Diplomatic minuscule 9th - 10th century; book script in the 10th century.
  • High Carolingian minuscule of the 11th century, Otloh’s Central European style and Bavarian scribal / painting schools.
  • Diplomatic minuscule of the 11th century
  • The oldest scribal schools in the Czech lands.
  • The origins of Czech diplomatic material.
  • Late Carolingian minuscule in the first half of the 12th century.
  • The origins of diplomatic minuscule in Bohemia and Moravia; the Olomouc scriptorium, codicological analysis of external features of a codex.
  • The Gothicisation of Carolingian minuscule in the second half of the 12th century, Romano-Gothic, early Gothic minuscule at the turn of the 13th century, and Cistercian scriptoria.
  • The typology of Latin liturgical books
  • Gothicisation of charter script in the Czech lands, Gothic diplomatic minuscule
Literature
  • Bischoff, B.: Die südostdeutschen Schreinschulen und Bibliotheken der Karolingerzeit 1-2. Stuttgart-Wiesbaden 1974-1980.
  • HAVEL, Dalibor. Počátky latinské písemné kultury v českých zemích : nejstarší latinské rukopisy a zlomky v Čechách a na Moravě. Vydání první. Brno: Filozofická fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, 2018, 534 stran. ISBN 9788021089181. URL info
  • PÁTKOVÁ, Hana. Česká středověká paleografie. Vydání první. České Budějovice: Veduta, 2008, 278 stran. ISBN 9788086829388. info
  • MUZIKA, František. Krásné písmo ve vývoji latinky. Vyd. 2., V Pasece 1. Praha: Paseka, 2005, 657 s. ISBN 8071857408. info
  • BISCHOFF, Bernhard: Paläographie des römischen Altertums und des abendländischen Mittelalters. Berlin 2009.
  • DRAGOUN, Michal. Středověké rukopisy v českých zemích : handbušek kodikologa. Vydání první. V Praze: Scriptorium, 2018, 189 stran. ISBN 9788088013754. info
  • KLUGE, Mathias Franc: Handschriftern des Mittelalters. Grundwissen Kodikologie und Paläographie. Ostfildern 2015.
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars, with the active participation of students.
Assessment methods
Written test and joint discussion, colloquium.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Studenti bakalářského programu Pomocné vědy historické zapisují až po absolvování předmětu PV1A310.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/PV1A311