Launched in July 2019, Italian Paleography catalogs more than 100 Italian papers and manuscripts from the 14th to 18th centuries, presented alongside "tools for deciphering them and learning about their social, cultural, and institutional settings." Paleography is a discipline concerned with studying "histories of handwriting," across various mediums, in context with the relationship between the physical presentation and content of writing. Those less familiar with the field may want to begin on the Home page, where they will find introductory information on the history of paleography and tips for evaluating scripts and a link to a short video describing how to navigate the site (found in the top right corner under Get Started). From there, readers can view and filter the project's documents on the Manuscripts page. In addition to a summary and information on the document's subject matter, most records include links to a brief background essay in English and a transcription of the manuscript in Italian. The site also includes several other resources to aid your understanding and experience. The Handbook page offers insights on the history of Italian vernacular and manuscripts. The Appendix and Resources menus house general information on the project and the study of paleography, including a beginner's guide (under New to Paleography) and Glossary. Educators should check back soon for teaching materials that are currently in the works. The project is a collaboration between The Newberry, University of Toronto Libraries, and St. Louis University, with editors and contributors from around the world and support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. All of the content is available under a Creative Commons license.
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