Manuscript Cultures

This course investigates the provenience and provenance of late ancient and medieval manuscripts, especially those held by Duke University. Manuscripts are approached as windows into the cultural worlds of late antiquity and the early medieval period. Topics include: books as sacred objects; histories of transmission and reception; and the role of manuscripts in networks of patronage and exchange. Canon formation and representation, philological and aesthetic notions of 'the authentic,' and scribal and scholarly expertise as aspects of book production and circulation will also be addressed.