13058

SoSe 21: Writing and Civilization from Antiquity to the Renaissance

Anna Dorofeeva

Comments

This module will explore the relationship between writing and civilisation, from their origin in the ancient world to c. 1500 CE. The materiality and practice of written communication forged the connection between symbols and their meaning, shaped the practice of political power and religion, enabled economic growth, influenced the experience of education, and determined what would be remembered or what would be forgotten. This course will explore these far-reaching changes by looking at the wide range of historical writing on clay, stone, bark, papyrus, parchment and paper, from Australasia, Europe and Mesopotamia; the development of the codex from earlier book-forms like tablets and scrolls; the practice of writing, including scripts, writing tools, ciphers and administration; the relationship between text and image in art and architecture; and the invention of music notation. We will also discuss contemporary media theories and ideas of symbolism in order to understand how to interpret sources, particularly the difference between the visual and the textual. An important component of the course will be examination and discussion of the source material, including medieval manuscripts, music samples, and models of written artefacts. close