The course aims to provide, through palaeographic, codicological, diplomatic and historical knowledge, the means useful for the identification, dating and localisation of the most important graphic typologies, books and documents, from their origins to the printing press, with particular focus on the medieval period.

Analysis of book and documentary typologies in the history of the Latin West, from its origins to the advent of printing, with a focus on the medieval centuries. Reflection on the processes of production, preservation and transmission of sources.

Monographic focus: reuse fragments. The case of the notarial fund of Fossombrone.

Knowledge and ability to understand: students are expected to acquire the ability to recognise, read, date, locate and contextualise different book and documentary writings; students are also expected to acquire awareness of the tools useful to understand the history of book forms from antiquity to the invention of printing, to know the problems related to the production, use and preservation of books and documents.

Applied knowledge and comprehension skills: The student should use the palaeographic, diplomatic and codicological knowledge acquired during the course to easily recognise the different types of writing and identify the type of document. He/she will also have to have the ability to frame the elements that allow the artefact to be dated and located correctly.

Autonomy of judgement: The student is expected to acquire the ability to recognise, read and contextualise the different scripts of the Latin West, to become acquainted with the lineaments of palaeographic, codicological and diplomatic methodology.

The skills acquired will certainly prove useful in view of a critical editorial use of any ancient text, specialised historical and archival studies.

communication skills: The student will have to orient himself/herself among the various types of writing from VI BC to the printing press. The tools acquired by the student at the end of the course should enable him/her to deal with the decoding and analysis of the various scripts and documentary typologies of the period with the necessary technical skills. 

Ability to learn: The student must be able to analyse book and documentary text, extrapolating the parts useful for dating and localisation, dwelling in particular on the writing used. He should be able to use working tools (repertories) and support tools (e.g. dictionary of abbreviations and perpetual calendar). He/she should be able to propose questions and topics for critical discussion relating to the course topics, in such a way as to track personal learning development.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The course is supplemented with practical exercises aimed at the ability to recognise, read and contextualise book and documentary writings. Supporting seminars may be organised, held by Dr. Sara Cambrini, to view and comment on documents from the Pesaro-Urbino State Archives, mainly in chancery and mercantile script.

Teaching

Lectures and exercises.

Innovative teaching methods

Debate; Problem-based learning.
 

Attendance

To be considered as attending, students must be present for at least 80% of the lectures; alternatively, they will refer to the guidelines for non-attenders. Due to the particular need for instructor-led practice, attendance is strongly recommended.

Course books

P. Cherubini-A. Pratesi, Paleografia latina. L'avventura grafica del mondo occidentale, Città del Vaticano, Scuola Vaticana di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica, 2010.

A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme del documento medievale, Rome, Jouvence, 1979 and later editions;

M. Luisa Agati, Il libro manoscritto. Introduction to codicology, L'Erma di Bretschneider, Rome 2003, pp. 35-44 (Breve storia del manoscritto) and 121-147 (La
morfologia del libro).

Other material (reading tables, in-depth articles, bibliography), prepared by the lecturer in addition to the recommended texts, will be available on the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it

Assessment

Oral examination

The examination consists of general questions on the history of scripture and the fundamental historical periods that brought about its changes, and on the basic principles of diplomatics, according to the methods illustrated in the study texts. This will be followed by the examination of some facsimiles of scripts and documents, for which a palaeographic and diplomatic commentary will be requested.

A grade will be given

- from excellent to very good (30 and praise-27) on the basis of the student's possession of excellent/very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to link together the themes addressed in the course; the use of language appropriate to the specific nature of the discipline.

- good to fair (26-23) on the basis of the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical ability and ability to connect the topics covered; the use of appropriate language.

- sufficient (22-18) on the basis of the student's achievement of a minimal knowledge of the topics dealt with, in the presence of some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

- negative on the basis of the student's difficulties in orienting himself/herself in relation to the topics dealt with in the examination texts, some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

A grade will be given

- from excellent to very good (30 and praise-27) on the basis of the student's possession of excellent/very good critical and in-depth study skills; the ability to link together the themes addressed in the course; the use of language appropriate to the specific nature of the discipline.

- good to fair (26-23) on the basis of the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical ability and ability to connect the topics covered; the use of appropriate language.

- sufficient (22-18) on the basis of the student's achievement of a minimal knowledge of the topics dealt with, in the presence of some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

- negative on the basis of the student's difficulties in orienting himself/herself in relation to the topics dealt with in the examination texts, some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance

To be considered as attending, students must be present for at least 80% of the lectures; alternatively, they will refer to the guidelines for non-attenders. Due to the particular need for instructor-led practice, attendance is strongly recommended.

Course books

P. Cherubini-A. Pratesi, Paleografia latina. L'avventura grafica del mondo occidentale, Città del Vaticano, Scuola Vaticana di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica, 2010, pp.

A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme del documento medievale, Rome, Jouvence, 1979 and later editions;

M. Luisa Agati, Il libro manoscritto. Introduction to codicology, L'Erma di Bretschneider, Rome 2003, pp.

Other material (reading tables, in-depth articles, bibliography), prepared by the lecturer in addition to the recommended texts, will be available on the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it

Assessment

Oral examination

The examination consists of general questions on the history of scripture and the fundamental historical periods that brought about its changes, and on the basic principles of diplomatics, according to the methods illustrated in the study texts. This will be followed by the examination of some facsimiles of scripts and documents, for which a palaeographic and diplomatic commentary will be requested.

A grade will be given

- from excellent to very good (30 and praise-27) on the basis of the student's possession of excellent/very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to link together the themes addressed in the course; the use of language appropriate to the specific nature of the discipline.

- good to fair (26-23) on the basis of the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical ability and ability to connect the topics covered; the use of appropriate language.

- sufficient (22-18) on the basis of the student's achievement of a minimal knowledge of the topics dealt with, in the presence of some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

- negative on the basis of the student's difficulties in orienting himself/herself in relation to the topics dealt with in the examination texts, some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

A grade will be given

- from excellent to very good (30 and praise-27) on the basis of the student's possession of excellent/very good critical and in-depth study skills; the ability to link together the themes addressed in the course; the use of language appropriate to the specific nature of the discipline.

- good to fair (26-23) on the basis of the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical ability and ability to connect the topics covered; the use of appropriate language.

- sufficient (22-18) on the basis of the student's achievement of a minimal knowledge of the topics dealt with, in the presence of some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

- negative on the basis of the student's difficulties in orienting himself/herself in relation to the topics dealt with in the examination texts, some formative gaps and the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

A basic knowledge of the following disciplines would certainly be helpful: Latin language and literature, Medieval history. Latin palaeography.