IMC 2014: Sessions
Session 1313: Empire of Letters, II: The Essence of Script
Wednesday 9 July 2014, 16.30-18.00
| Sponsor: | Cap Digital / APICES / Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris |
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| Organiser: | Vincent Debiais, Centre d'Études Supérieures de Civilisation Médiévale (CESCM), Université de Poitiers / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris |
| Moderator/Chair: | Dominique Stutzmann, Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes (IRHT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris |
| Paper 1313-a | Carolingian Parallel Scripts: The Silent Rebellion of Scribes (Language: English) Index terms: Epigraphy, Manuscripts and Palaeography, Mentalities |
| Paper 1313-b | Tamed Tigers?: Charters and the Empires of the Script (Language: English) Index terms: Charters and Diplomatics, Manuscripts and Palaeography, Mentalities, Politics and Diplomacy |
| Abstract | Script is not a neutral communication medium. Scripts were particularly used throughout the Middle Ages to stage the idea of Empire, power, and domination. Well known examples are the litterae caelestes in the late Antiquity, the papal curialis, the litterae elongatae. And the scriptural domain is an Empire in itself with its coherence and history, with its own kingdoms, counties and lordships at war for influence. This session explores the graphical strategies and the use of script for revealing and concealing: revealing the mastery of inscription makers and hiding the message (Treffort), revealing the legitimacy and hiding the differences (Barret), revealing the knowledge and deprecating the art of memory (Virenque). This session will also explore how to analyse connotations and influences in order to correctly interpret artefacts. |