Crystallite size of the graphitic phase in soot ink based on historic recipe: A potential dating tool for old manuscripts

In this paper, we report the crystallite size of the graphitic phase observed in a soot ink sample prepared based on an original Ottoman recipe in the 18th century for the first time. Intensity ratio of the D and G bands that were observed at 1384 and 1609 cm-1 respectively, revealed that the crystallite size is 24.33 nm. This corresponds to a carbon phase between graphitic and well graphitic stage. We strongly believe that this could be further used particularly for dating purposes by investigating carbon-black pigments which we have not encountered its consideration in the literature for mainly manuscripts. Here, we especially propose using the Tuinstra-Koenig relationship together with the consideration of D and G band profiles to derive the crystallite size of the graphitic phase observed in soot ink and other various carbon-black inks for the purpose of manuscript dating.

SONGS AND POEMS OF THE "BIG CITY": TO THE QUESTION OF CULTURE AND LIFE OF MARIUPOL IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19th CENTURY

Тhere are several fragments of Іtalian, Russian and Ukrainian folk songs and poems among various texts, written with Greek letters, in the Urum manuscript dating from the first half of the 19th cent. The very presence of such texts, the character of their transcription indicates the spread of ІItalian, Russian and Ukrainian song culture and, in some degree, literature among the Turkish speaking Greeks of Mariupol in the first decades of their residence in Azov region.

Frau Ava’s, the first named German female writer’s, poem Jüngstes Gericht ‘The Last Judgement’ and its Lithuanian translation

The present article offers an overview of several poems written by Frau Ava (1060–1127), a German poetess whose literary works are virtually unknown in Lithuania. Ava, an anchoress in Melk Abbey, is the first named German female writer, who broke ‘the deep silence of German literature’ lasting over a century (Stein 1976, 5). All poems attributed to Frau Ava are of religious character: Johannes ‘John the Baptist’ (446 lines), Leben Jesu ‘Life of Jesus’ (2418 lines), Antichrist (118 lines) and Jüngstes Gericht ‘The Last Judgement’ (406 lines), which make up an impressive biblical epic of 3388 lines. Leben Jesu, Antichrist and Jüngstes Gericht are found in the Vorau Manuscript dating the first half of the 12th century (Codex 276, 115va-125ra), whereas the Görlitz Manuscript (Codex A III. 1. 10), compiled in the 14th century but lost during World War II, contains the poem Johannes as well as the other poems mentioned above, excluding the epilogue of Jüngstes Gericht (lines 393-406).The article presents an overview of Frau Ava’s life and works as well as a Lithuanian translation of her poem Jüngstes Gericht, written in Early Middle High German (Ger. Frümittelhochdeutsch). The translation is based on Maike Glaußnitzer and Kassnadra Sperl’s text, published in 2014.

Saint Meletius of Antioch. On the Treason of Judas (CPG 3425/1)

В статье впервые публикуется перевод на русский язык древнегрузинской проповеди свт. Мелетия Антиохийского о предательстве Иуды (CPG 3425/1). Оригинальный текст, сохранившийся в единственной рукописи, доныне остается неизданным. Публикация грузинского текста готовится по афонской рукописи, датируемой Х веком. Текст, который в рукописи приписан свт. Мелетию Антиохийскому, входит в цикл из девяти проповедей на Страстную седмицу, дошедших до наших дней на древнегрузинском и древнеармянском языках. Автора отличает подлинная поэтическая интонация в передаче евангельских событий. Данная публикация является первой в предполагаемой серии исследований/переводов наследия свт. Мелетия Антиохийского на кавказских языках. The article presents the first Russian translation of the Old Georgian homily on the Treason of Judas by Saint Meletius of Antioch, CPG 3425/1. The original Georgian text preserved in one single manuscript remains inedited. We are preparing an edition of the Old Georgian original on the ground of the Athonite manuscript dating back to the tenth century. The homily is ascribed to Saint Meletius, bishop of Antioch, and is one of the cycle of nine sermons for the Holy Week surviving in Old Georgian and in Classical Armenian. The preacher proves a genuine poet while narrating the Gospel events. The present publication is conceived to be the first one in the series of works on the Caucasian heritage of Saint Meletius of Antioch.

Crossing Boundaries: Images of Christina of Markyate in the St. Albans Psalter

The St. Albans Psalter is an English illuminated manuscript dating back to the twelfth century. The psalter has been connected to Christina of Markyate, a twelfth-century anchoress, for whom the work appears to have been made. Many images in the St. Albans Psalter depict the biblical figure Mary Magdalene, who is seen interacting with the boundaries of the colourful illustration. This article will study the images of Mary Magdalene in the St. Albans Psalter and will seek to re-evaluate her spiritual relationship with the twelfth-century recluse Christina of Markyate. Although the connection between Christina and Mary Magdelene has been recognized and reassessed, this study offers a contemporary outlook on the visual iconography, suggesting that this relationship is, in fact, far closer than previously demonstrated. By analyzing images in which the hand of Mary Magdalene crosses illustrated boundaries, this study will demonstrate the connection between these instances and Christina’s isolation within the boundaries of her anchoritic hold.

Patterns in Style Evolution of Poets

This article investigates the problem of style stability and variation over time and presents the results of analysis of style evolution of American romantic poet H.W. Longfellow. The feature set includes 29 morphological and syntactic characteristics. The method of multivariate discriminant analysis is used. The study showed significant style changes over time and made it possible to single out the major tendencies of style evolution: the poet in his mature verses returns to the characteristics of his early lyrics. Besides, comparison of the variable and stable characteristics demonstrated that the initial part of the line is connected with style evolution, whereas the end of the line (which is the rhymed position) is less variable over time. The results may be useful for authorship attribution and manuscript dating research.

Il Salterio di San Romualdo (secolo IX), primi interventi di restauro e indagini conoscitive

The San Romualdo Psalter is a manuscript dating back to the 9th century, which for a long time has been thought to have been written by the saint himself. Its rubrication turned white making it completely unreadable, the previous repairs led to distortions of the parchment. The codex was dismantled and reproduced using UV fluorescence, with a remarkable improvement in the text’s readability. Previous repairs have been removed using rigid aqueous gels; distortions have been treated with humidification and tensioning with neodymium magnets. The manuscript has been resewn using a Japanese paper concertina and double thread technique, and bound on beech boards and full alum tawed goatskin.