Course Description

Embark on a fascinating journey into the world of Hebrew paleography with this advanced-level course offered by PennX. Led by Professor Judith Olszowy-Schlanger, one of the world's foremost experts in the field, this course provides an engaging high-level overview of Hebrew paleography. Discover how the very way letters and words are written in ancient manuscripts can reveal a wealth of historical information. Learn to decipher the hidden stories within the strokes of Hebrew scripts, enabling you to locate medieval sources in space and time, even without reading the words themselves. This course adds an enlightening new dimension to the work of decoding ancient sources and reconstructing medieval history, opening up a whole new world of historical interpretation.

What Students Will Learn

• Understand the process of analyzing Hebrew manuscripts through a paleographer's perspective
• Master the fundamentals of paleographical methodology
• Identify the key markers of major writing families from which all medieval Hebrew manuscripts originate
• Develop skills to recognize and differentiate between various Hebrew scripts, including Oriental, Sephardi, Iberian, and Ashkenazi
• Gain insight into the historical and cultural contexts that influenced the development of different Hebrew writing styles
• Learn to date and localize Hebrew manuscripts based on their paleographic features

Prerequisites

There are no specific prerequisites for this course. However, familiarity with the edX platform is recommended, and students new to edX are encouraged to explore edX DemoX. While not mandatory, a basic understanding of Hebrew or an interest in historical linguistics and manuscript studies would be beneficial.

Course Content

• Introduction to Hebrew paleography and its significance in historical studies
• Methodology for studying Hebrew scripts
• Overview of major regions associated with Hebrew scripts
• Identification of Medieval Oriental Square Scripts
• Recognition of Oriental Cursive Scripts and Non-Square Registers
• Analysis of Sephardi and Iberian Square Scripts
• Study of Iberian Semi-Cursive (Miniscule) Scripts
• Examination of Ashkenazi Square ("Gothic") Scripts
• Exploration of Ashkenazi Semi-Cursive (Miniscule) Scripts

Who This Course Is For

• History enthusiasts interested in medieval Jewish culture and manuscripts
• Students of Jewish studies, medieval history, or linguistics
• Researchers and academics in related fields looking to expand their knowledge
• Librarians and archivists working with historical documents
• Anyone fascinated by the intersection of language, writing systems, and history

Real-World Applications

• Enhancing research capabilities in historical and religious studies
• Improving the ability to date and authenticate historical documents
• Contributing to the preservation and understanding of cultural heritage
• Assisting in the cataloging and archiving of ancient manuscripts
• Providing valuable insights for archaeological and anthropological studies
• Enriching the interpretation of historical texts and their contexts

Syllabus