CSMC
CSMCCentre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures
New Seminar Series on Persianate Written Artefacts
13 March 2024
Photo: British Museum
Reẕā ʿAbbāsī, Portrait of a young page reading, c. 1625–26, drawing, from Isfahan, Iran
Starting this March, a new seminar series, held in Persian, focuses on Iranian and Persianate manuscript cultures. The first seminar will explore the seals on Iranian manuscripts during the Islamic period.
The seminars of this series on ‘Persianate Written Artefacts’ aim to engage Persian, Dari, and Tojiki-speaking students and scholars with the research methodologies and concepts of written artefacts developed at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ at the CSMC. The series features contributions from both internal and external scholars specialising in the fields of Iranian and Persianate manuscript cultures. These scholars share their expertise, both theoretical and practical, on working with written artefacts originating from the Iranian and Persianate world.
Spanning across various stages of history to the modern era, the seminars delve into the analysis of both the content and material characteristics of these written artefacts. Through comprehensive examination, participants gain insights into the rich cultural heritage and scholarly approaches to manuscripts within this region.
All seminars will be conducted in Persian. Participants can attend them both in-person and online.
The first seminar of this series will be held on 18 and 19 March 2024. ‘Studying the Seals on Iranian Manuscripts During the Islamic Period’ is taught by Dr Emad Sheykh-ol-Hokamaee (University of Teheran) and gives an introduction to a crucial component of manuscripts and archival documents produced in Iran, playing a significant role in various domains, particularly in authenticating legal deeds and tracing ownership. It will give students and scholars an overview of sigillography studies, the structure of the seals, usage, and encoding the seals and seal impressions.
More information, including on how to apply, is available on the website of the seminar.
