Middle Persian is a Western Middle Iranian language and represents the middle phase in the development of the Persian language from Old and to New Persian. It was the language of the Sasanian state and of the Zoroastrian and Manichaean traditions during the Sasanian period and far into Islamic times. A variant of Middle Persian is written in the Pahlavi alphabet, which was in use for the writing down of the Zoroastrian texts in Middle Persian from the Sasanian times up to the 18th century. There are furthermore epigraphic and cursive variants of the same alphabet; the first is used in the Sasanian royal inscriptions and the latter one in the parchment, papyrus and textiles from the period of Sasanian occupation of Egypt (619–628 CE) as well the Iranian group of Pahlavi documents, the so-called Archive of T?abarestan, dated from the late 7th to mid 8th centuries. This course is an introduction to the Middle Persian language for the students of “MA Iranian Studies: Iran in Antiquity and Late Antiquity”. No prior knowledge of the language is required, although basic knowledge of Persian or any other Iranian language may appear to be an advantage. The course is designed to provide students with a clear understanding of the basic principles of the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) script and language in a way that enables them to translate simple Middle Persian texts and to analyse their grammar. Students who complete the course successfully will be able to handle simple primary sources in the original Pahlavi and to assess critically translations made by various scholars. Furthermore, the students will learn to engaged with the most important reference works such as grammars and dictionaries of Middle Persian and experience the special character of Middle Persian texts and textual problems. The essential course books are in English; however, the students might be asked to read or use secondary literature or reference books in other languages. A general familiarity with standard grammatical terminology and concepts will be an advantage. Workload The course comprises of 15 two hours of classes per week. Students are required to submit weekly written work for correction and prepare texts for reading in class or in advance. Scope and syllabus The course is based on the reading of texts, including texts from Sasanian Royal and official inscriptions (‘Old Pahlavi’) as well as texts from Zoroastrian Middle Persian literature (‘Classical Pahlavi’), simple in style, like Karnamag i Ardaxšir i Babagan “The Book of the Deeds of Ardaxšir, son of Babag”, the Arda Wiraz-namag “The Book of Arda Wiraz”, etc.; which will be read in the original Pahlavi script. Some memorization of grammar and vocabulary will be required. Extensive handouts and reading materials will be supplied. Method of assessment There will be one end of term exam as well as occasionally tests. The examination will include passages for two-way translations (Pahlavi-English/English-Pahlavi) of texts, either read in class or unseen texts, similar to the already studies materials, together with linguistic and general questions arising from them. close

General description: Boyce, Mary. ‘Middle Persian Literature’. In Handbuch Der Orientalistik, ed. Bertold Spuler. 31–66. Abt. 1: Der Nahe Und Der Mittlere Osten. Bd. 4: Iranistik, Abschn. 2: Literatur 4. Leiden: Brill, 1968. Huyse, Philip. ‘Inscriptional Literature in Old and Middle Iranian Languages’. In The Literature of Pre-Islamic Iran, eds. Ronald Eric Emmerick and Maria Macuch. XVII:72–115. A History of Persian Literature, Companion Volume I. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009. Macuch, Maria. ‘Pahlavi Literature’. In The Literature of Pre-Islamic Iran, eds. Ronald Eric Emmerick and Maria Macuch. XVII:116–96. A History of Persian Literature, Companion Volume I. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009. Manual: Nyberg, Henrik Samuel. Hilfsbuch des Pehlevi. 2 vols. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksell, 1928. ———. A Manual of Pahlavi. 2 vols. Part I: Texts; Part II: Glossary. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 21964. Tafazzoli, A?mad and Žale Amuzgar. Zaban-e Pahlavi: adabiyat-o dastur-e an [Pahlavi Language: its Literature and Grammar]. Tehran: Agah, 1373 š [1997]. Grammar: Brunner, Christopher J. A Syntax of Western Middle Iranian. Persian Studies Series 3. New York: Delmar, 1977. Durkin-Meisterernst, Desmond. Grammatik des Westmitteliranischen (Parthisch und Mittelpersisch). Sitzungsberichte / Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Klasse 850. Wien: Verlag der Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2014. Skjærvø, Prods Oktor. ‘Middle West Iranian’. In The Iranian Languages, ed. Gernot Windfuhr. 196–278. London: Routledge, 2009. Sundermann, Werner. ‘Mittelpersisch’. In Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. 138–64. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 1989. Tafazzoli, A?mad and Žale Amuzgar. Zaban-e Pahlavi: adabiyat-o dastur-e an [Pahlavi Language: its Literature and Grammar]. Tehran: Agah, 1373 š [1997]. Weber, Dieter. ‘Pahlavi Morphology’. In Morphologies of Asia and Africa, ed. Alan S. Kaye. 2:941–73. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1997. ———. ‘Pahlavi Phonology’. In Phonologies of Asia and Africa, ed. Alan S. Kaye. 2:601–36. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1997. Dictionary: Durkin-Meisterernst, Desmond and Nicholas Sims-Williams. Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian: Dictionary of Manichaean Texts. Vol. 3: Texts from Central Asia and China; Part 1. Corpus Fontium Manichaeorum, Subsidia 1. Turnhout: Brepols, 2004. Jamaspasa, Hoshang and Martin Haug, eds. An Old Zand-Pahlavi Glossary: Edited in the Original Characters. Bombay: Government Central Bok Depot, 1867. Junker, Heinrich F. J., ed. The Frahang i Pahlavik. Heidelberg: Winter, 1912. Klingenschmitt, Gert. ‘Frahang-i oim: Edition und Kommentar’. PhD Dissertation, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, 1969. ? MacKenzie, David Neil. A Concise Pahlavi Dictionary. London, New York: Oxford University Press, Reprint of the 1st edition from 1971 with correction. 21990. Maškur, Mo?ammad Gavad. Farhang-e hozvareš-haye pahlavi [A Dictionary of the Pahlavi Heterograms]. Važename-haye Pahlavi 4. Entešarat-e Bonyad-e Farhang-e Iran, 1346 š [1958]. Nyberg, Henrik Samuel. Hilfsbuch des Pehlevi. 2: Glossar. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksell, 1931. ———. A Manual of Pahlavi. 2 vols. Part II: Glossary. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 21964. Chrestomathies and Editions: Back, Michael. Die sassanidischen Staatsinschriften: Studien zur Orthographie und Phonologie des Mittelpersischen der Inschriften zusammen mit einem etymologischen Index des mittelpersischen Wortgutes und einem Textcorpus der behandelten Inschriften. Acta Iranica 18. Leiden: Brill, 1978. Gignoux, Philippe. Le Livre d’Arda Viraz: Translittération, Transcription et Traduction du Texte Pehlevi. Bibliothèque Iranienne 30. Paris: Édition Recherche sur les Civilisations, 1984. Grenet, Frantz, ed. La geste d’Ardashir fils de Pâbag: (Karnamag i Ardaxšer i Pabagan). France: Die, 2003. Hansen, Olaf. Mittelpersisches Lesebuch. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1963. MacKenzie, David Neil. ‘Karnamag i Ardaxšir i Pabagan’, 1993. TITUS. http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/iran/miran/mpers/kap/kapt.htm. Nyberg, Henrik Samuel. Hilfsbuch des Pehlevi. 1: Texte und Index der Pehlevi-Wörter: mit einer Einleitung über die Schrift; mit variae lectiones und Nachträgen. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksell, 1928. ———. A Manual of Pahlavi. 2 vols. Part I: Texts. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 21964. Vahman, Fereydun. Arda Wiraz Namag: The Iranian ‘Divina Commedia’. Scandinavian Institute of Asian Studies 53. London: Curzon Press, 1986. close