SEMINARIO DE MAESTRIA - CLASE 5

General Principles of Paleography

The instructor introduces the general principles of paleography, highlighting its importance in historical studies and related fields.

Introduction to Paleography

• Paleography is a fundamental component in history, archival studies, library science, and documentation.

• Riesco Terrero defines paleography as a theoretical-practical discipline aimed at facilitating access to written sources for study and comprehension.

• Paleography involves studying the evolution of writing, writing techniques, production methods, and written products to enable accurate reading and understanding of written sources.

Key Concepts in Paleography

• Paleography encompasses the study of writing evolution, writing techniques, production modes, and the written content itself to ensure accurate reading.

• It involves transitioning from paleographic reading to transcribing handwritten sources for dating, localization, and understanding different graphic styles.

Evolution of Latin Script: Gothic Writing

The discussion delves into the specifics of Latin script evolution with a focus on Gothic writing emergence in the 11th century.

Latin Script Development

• Latin script birthed the Latin alphabet derived from the Greek alphabet with approximately 2700 years of usage.

• Gothic writing emerged in the 11th century as a specific type within Latin script before evolving into variations during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Caligraphy Evolution

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the evolution of writing styles and the importance of understanding different scripts in paleography.

Evolution of Writing Styles

• The speaker emphasizes the significance of exploring various calligraphies and scripts beyond Gothic writing from the 14th and 15th centuries.

• Paleography is introduced as a tool to delve into unexplored territories related to texts, providing a glimpse into premodern writings before focusing on more specific and contemporary issues in digital humanities.

• The discussion shifts towards examining more recent writings post-discovery of America, highlighting how documents in regions like Spain transitioned from Gothic to newer scripts due to decrees during the Imperial era.

Establishment of Archives

• A pivotal moment is described when King Charles I of Spain mandated that all governmental actions be documented and archived, marking the birth of institutional archives within the Hispanic realm.

• This decree led to a massive influx of paperwork requiring swift documentation methods, resulting in bureaucratic script styles for efficient record-keeping across expanding Spanish territories post-colonization.

Title for Subtopic

This section delves into the implications and challenges associated with archival practices following increased bureaucratic demands.

Archival Significance

• The concept of archives expands beyond mere document storage, encompassing broader cultural and historical implications that transcend traditional definitions.

• With the surge in administrative tasks post-colonization, vast quantities of paperwork had to be meticulously recorded, leading to expedited writing techniques such as bureaucratic script prevalent in colonial documentation pre-17th century.

New Section

This section discusses the abstract descriptions related to Latin writing, focusing on elements such as letter forms, movements of the hand while writing, and stylistic tendencies.

Abstract Descriptions of Latin Writing

• The writing space is typically divided into three sections: a central box for writing and upper and lower bands for additional content.

• Paleographic analysis involves examining letter forms, hand movements during writing, and graphic trends within these three sections.

• Letter forms are described in terms of straight strokes (tilia), curved strokes (panzas or lazos), and mixed strokes transitioning between straight and curved.

• The direction and order of strokes that form a letter, known as ductus, play a crucial role in Latin writing.

• The size of letters (module) and thickness of strokes contribute to the overall style of Latin script.

New Section

This part delves into the nuances of Latin writing by exploring stroke combinations, hand movements during writing, ductus analysis, style considerations like inclination tendencies, and copists' unique characteristics.

Nuances of Latin Writing

• Stroke combinations include straight lines (detiles), horizontal lines (barras or traversas), curved lines (panzas or lazos), and mixed strokes transitioning between straight and curved.

• Hand movements while writing are analyzed based on 11 orientations influencing stroke directions.

• Ductus analysis involves breaking down letter formation into distinct movements from right to left, up to down.

• Style aspects encompass inclinations, specific traits like thickening certain strokes or elongating parts of letters.

• Ligatures between letters in cursive scripts impact the flow of writing without lifting the pen between letters.

New Section

This segment explores how ligatures influence letter formations in Gothic script along with the prevalence and variations in abbreviations used across languages and copist schools.

Influence of Ligatures and Abbreviations

• Ligatures create continuous connections between letters in cursive scripts without pen lifts mid-word.

• Gothic script examples show instances where letters like 'd' and 'o' merge into a single stroke resembling an infinity sign with an upper stem.

• Abbreviations are common in paleography but vary across languages and copist traditions.

Signs and Abbreviations in Writing

The discussion delves into the use of signs and abbreviations in writing, particularly focusing on the evolution of certain symbols like the et sign and the tironian sign.

Signo Tirano - Evolution and Usage

• The tironian sign is often written as a tau or a T from the Greek alphabet, resembling an elongated comma.

• In paleographic transcription, the tironian sign is commonly represented by an ampersand (&), which evolved from rapid writing techniques.

Punctuation in Medieval Writing

• Punctuation marks were used in premodern writings, but lacked universal conventions across different scribes and schools.

• Understanding medieval punctuation marks poses challenges due to varying interpretations by different copyists.

Calderón Symbol and Transcription

• The Calderón symbol, resembling a double slash with a dash, marked sentence beginnings or endings.

• In paleographic transcriptions, symbols like Calderón must be faithfully reproduced despite differences from modern punctuation.

Evolution of Gothic Script

This segment explores the development of Gothic script in medieval writing contexts, highlighting its variations and influences over time.

Gothic Script Characteristics

• Gothic script was not uniform but varied based on importance; prevalent in religious texts like Bibles and classical Latin works.

• Over time, Gothic script evolved due to speed requirements in copying texts, leading to deviations while still retaining identifiable Gothic patterns.

Humanist Perception of Gothic Script

• Humanists coined the term "Gothic" in the 15th century to describe a perceived barbaric style that deviated from classical design norms.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the characteristics of Gothic script, focusing on the placement of high and low strokes within a defined central band for writing.

Characteristics of Gothic Script

• The majority of the writing fits within a central band due to the significant presence of high and low strokes. This is evident in examples where letters like 'Q' have descending strokes.

• Notable differences in letter height are highlighted, such as the 'l' being slightly below the writing line while other letters like 'rodelia' have features slightly above the central writing box.

• Emphasis is placed on the ascendant stroke of 'd' and 'rodiel,' showcasing how letter height surpasses width. This feature is particularly pronounced in earlier examples where letters are tall and thin.

Additional Characteristics

• A distinctive trait of Gothic script involves curves curving towards the right, resulting in overlapping features that create a double-letter effect, as seen in 'Do' or 'D.'

• When certain letters like 'r' follow a preceding letter with a rightward curve (e.g., B), they are written without lifting the pen, leading to unique designs.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the rhyme scheme in a specific poem and introduces the task of transcribing a segment from a 14th-century text.

Rhyme Scheme Analysis

• The verses all have the same rhyme, but it is not consonant; it is assonant.

• Transitioning to a new rhyme marks the end of one verse sequence and the beginning of another.

• The focus is on transcribing the 15th verse sequence from Miosi's poem.

• Encourages retrieving an old copy of Miosi's poem in Old Spanish for accurate transcription.

New Section

This part involves reading directly from a unique 14th-century manuscript that preserves Miosi's poem, setting the stage for further analysis and discussion.

Reading from 14th-Century Manuscript

• Emphasizes reading directly from the sole surviving 14th-century manuscript containing Miosi's poem.

• This manuscript serves as a crucial source for studying and understanding Miosi's work.

• Highlights the importance of using an Old Spanish version rather than a modernized one for academic purposes.

New Section

The speaker introduces a more complex task involving transcribing part of one of the earliest Spanish chivalric books, "Libro del Caballero Siif," providing additional resources for reference.

Transcription Task Introduction

• Discusses transcribing approximately one and a half folios from an early Spanish chivalric book.

• Mentions that this material is available on the campus platform for further exploration.