PennX: In the Margins of a Medieval Jewish Prayer Book: What Can Physical Manuscripts Tell Us about History?
This course is a case study of how a particular manuscript, a Jewish prayer book for high holidays, can provide historians with vital insights about Jewish communal life, the way a manuscript can help us map cultural change and continuity in the Middle Ages, and the history of the physical object itself. Elisabeth Hollender (Goethe University, Frankfurt) guides students through the examination of a late 13th century manuscript from Western Ashkenaz, focusing on how the manifold signs of change left in the manuscript illustrate and illuminate the history of a Jewish community in the Rhineland.
There is one session available:
In the Margins of a Medieval Jewish Prayer Book: What Can Physical Manuscripts Tell Us about History?
At a glance
- Institution: PennX
- Subject: History
- Level: Advanced
- Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for taking this course. However, we encourage learners to explore edX DemoX if they are unfamiliar with the edX platform.
Though this course can stand alone, it is the fifth part of a series exploring what can be learned from studying Jewish manuscripts. Part 1 is by Professor Y. Tzvi Langermann (PennX–Katz1.1x), part 2 is by Professor Alessandro Guetta (PennX–Katz1.2x), part 3 is by Professor Fabrizio Lelli (PennX–Katz1.3x), and part 4 is by Professor Judith Schlanger (PennX-Katz1.4x).
- Language: English
- Video Transcript: English