Library Guides: Archives and Archival Resources: Paleography

Palaeography

Palaeography (or Paleography) is the study and analysis of handwriting in order to read old texts with accuracy and fluency. It focuses on studying letter forms and conventions used, such as abbreviations. In addition, palaeography also involves dating manuscripts and identifying the location of, called ‘localizing’, the writing used.

Reference Books

Apprendre à lire les archives: 100 exercices pratiques du XVIe au XIXe siècle by G. d'. Arundel de Condé
Call Number: Medieval Institute CD 1191 .A78 1996
ISBN: 2864960648
Publication Date: 1996
Deciphering Handwriting in German Documents by Roger P. Minert
ISBN: 0967842077
Publication Date: 2001-05-01
English Handwriting, 1400-1650 by Jean F. Preston; Laetitia Yeandle
Call Number: Medieval Institute Z 115 .E5 P74 1992
ISBN: 0866980865
Publication Date: 1992-01-01
Introducción a la paleografía y la diplomática general by Angel Riesco Terrero
Call Number: Medieval Institute Z 105 .I57 1999
ISBN: 8477386412
Publication Date: 1999
The Palaeography of Gothic Manuscript Books by Albert Derolez; David Ganz (Contribution by); Tessa Webber (Contribution by)
Call Number: Medieval Institute Z 106.5 .E85 D47 2003
ISBN: 0521803152
Publication Date: 2003-08-28
Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry
Call Number: Z 115 .A5 S64 1998
ISBN: 080630846X
Publication Date: 2005-01-01

Online Tutorial and Resources

DigiPal
DigiPal is a new resource for the study of medieval handwriting, particularly that produced in England during the years 1000–1100, the time of Æthelred, Cnut and William the Conqueror. It is designed to allow you to see samples of handwriting from the period and to compare them with each other quickly and easily.
Early Modern Palaeography
Online tutorial.
English Handwriting, 1500-1700
for working with English manuscript sources between 1500 and 1700
How to Read 18th Century British-American Writing
More Resources for English Palaeography
Palaeography: Reading Old Handwriting, 1500-1800. A Practical Online Tutorial
for documents written in English between 1500 and 1800
English Script Tutorial from Brigham Young University

Cours de paléographie
For French documents to 1789.
French Documents
French Renaissance Paleography
Over 100 carefully selected French manuscripts written between 1300 and 1700, with tools for deciphering them and learning about their social, cultural, and institutional settings.
Ménestrel Médiévistes sur le net: sources, travaux et références en ligne

German Handwriting: Sütterlin
for documents written using Sütterlin (taught from 1915 to 1941)
German Script Tutorial
for learning to read documents written by hand and printed from the eighteenth to early twentieth century

Irish Palaeography
for Irish manuscripts from the 18th and 19th century

Italian Palaeography Workbook
Italian Script Tutorial
Medici Archive Project Online Paleography Course
The four-month course is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of archival research and paleographic studies. It will provide methodological skills to navigate early modern archives, as well as the cultural background necessary to appreciate the intricate social, historical and artistic context of early modern Italy.

Cappelli, Dizionario di Abbreviature
Latin Palaeography
for documents written in Latin between 1086 and 1500.

Basic Portuguese Paleography

Spanish and Latin American Palaeography
Covers five periods of writing from the medieval period to the nineteenth century.
Spanish Paleography Tool
Spanish Script Tutorial

Courses/Workshops (residential) – Only a sampling

German Script Course
Moravian Archives. Bethlehem, PA (2 weeks in June)
Greek Palaeography
Lincoln College Summer School, University of Oxford
Introduction to Palaeography, 800-1500
Rare Book School, University of Virginia (5 days)
Latin Paleography
Catholic University of America
Latin Palaeography, 1100-1500
Rare Book School, University of Virginia (5 days)
London Palaeography Summer School Programs
(Latin, German, Greek)
Mellon Summer Institutes in Vernacular Paleography
(English, French, Italian, Spanish), multiple locations (3-4 weeks)

Examples of what different handwritings can look like

Library Resources at Notre Dame

Latin: Dave Gura, Julia Schneider
German Script: Julia Schneider
Greek: Dave Gura
Spanish: Erika Hosselkus

Courses at Notre Dame

MI 60005: Latin Paleography
History 93048: Paleography of Imperial Spain