Summer Epigraphy Course

Sixth International Summer Course in Greek and Latin Epigraphy: July 5-15, 2016

 

The Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies has held five Summer Epigraphy Courses, in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2014. Each course was very well received by the students; enrollments rose from 7 (first course) to an ideal 12 (third course), with a growing number of European participants. The Center intends to offer the course every other year.

Aim: The course does not aim to turn out epigraphers. Its aim is more modest: to acquaint senior graduate students and junior faculty with the tools, methods and problems of epigraphy and to encourage and enable them to use the wonderful resource of inscriptions in their teaching and their research. If the bacillus epigraphicus should infect a participant even more deeply, all the better!

Method: To achieve this goal, the course lasts two intensive weeks, during which the students attend seminar-like sessions of instruction but are also challenged to do considerable work of their own. At the beginning of the course, students receive a squeeze and/or photographs of an inscription for which they will prepare an edition with commentary and translation to present to the class at the end of the two weeks.

Costs: Unlike previous years, we are unable to offer housing to course participants this year, so the course fees will be $50.00.

The participants arrange their own travel to Columbus and hotel accommodations. There are a couple of hotels within 1.5 miles of the Center that offer rooms at very reasonable prices. South of the Center is the Varsity Inn South at 1445 Olentangy River Road (800-916-4331) and north of campus is the Red Roof Inn Plus at 441 Ackerman Road (614-267-9941). Both hotels are within walking distance of the Center. There are many other hotels in the area and some will offer transportation to OSU upon request.

Application: The course has limited enrollment. Deadline for application is May 31, 2016. There is no formal application form, but send your letter of application/interest along with two letters of recommendation directly to the Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies, Ohio State University, 190 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210.


Summer Course in Epigraphy (tentative schedule):

Schedule

Place
Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies, 190 Pressey Hall
1070 Carmack Road

Course Hours
9:30-11.30 am and 2:00-4:30 pm

Syllabus
Week 1

Tuesday, July 5
am: Introduction, Bibliography, Electronic resources
pm: Dating (general principles), Restoration, Squeezes - Assignments*

Wednesday, July 6
am: Photographs vs. squeezes
pm: Alphabets and dating
 
Thursday, July 7
am: Decrees (mostly Athenian)
pm: Wendy Watkins, Digitizing squeezes; individual work
 
Friday, July 8
am: Carriers of inscriptions; Orphic Tablets and Curse Tablets
pm: Official documents of Athens
 
Saturday, July 9
Individual Work
 

Week 2

Monday, July 11
am: Official documents of Athens
pm: Individual work
 
Tuesday, July 12
am: Taking squeezes on OSU Campus
pm: Non-Attic Epigraphy
 
Wednesday, July 13
am: Sacred Laws, Oracles, etc.
pm: Individual Work
 
Thursday, July 14
am: Roman Epigraphy
pm: Presentations I*
 
Friday, July 15
Presentations II *


(*) Each participant (or, if preferred, groups of 2) will receive a squeeze with an assignment to produce an edition and an epigraphical and short historical commentary, to be presented and discussed in Thursday/Friday of the second week.