Calligraphy & Paleography in Hispanic Archives

This module introduces students to the fundamental concepts of the course, establishing the key distinction between paleography (the study of ancient handwriting) and calligraphy (the art of beautiful handwriting). Students will learn about the various materials and tools historically used in manuscript production and writing. The module provides a comprehensive overview of European history between 800 and 1789, establishing the historical context necessary for understanding the evolution of writing styles throughout this period. This foundation helps students situate different manuscript forms within their cultural, political, and social environments.

Skills you'll gain

This module examines the written legacy of the Early Middle Ages in Europe and Spain, focusing on the period from 800 to 1000 CE. After exploring the historical context of this era, students will analyze two key writing styles: the pre-Carolingian Hispanic script (Visigothic) and the Carolingian script. The module covers the distinctive characteristics of these scripts, their historical significance, and their relationship to the broader cultural developments of the period. Students will learn to identify the morphological features of these scripts and practice reading and reproducing them, developing both paleographic and calligraphic skills specific to these early medieval writing styles.

Skills you'll gain

This module explores the written heritage of the High Middle Ages in Europe and Spain from 1000 to 1300 CE. Students will be introduced to the historical developments of this period, which saw the emergence of Gothic script. The module examines the importance of this script for administrative functions in contemporary institutions. Students will delve deeply into the Gothic script cycle, studying both the formal book hands (textura) and cursive documentary scripts (privilege script and "albalaes" script). For each script type, the module covers morphology, paleographic analysis, and calligraphic development, enabling students to both read and reproduce these medieval writing styles with historical accuracy.

Skills you'll gain

This module continues examining the Late Middle Ages in Europe and Spain, focusing on the period from 1300 to 1450 CE. During this time, late cursive Gothic scripts began evolving toward Humanistic writing. The module provides in-depth study of the pre-courtly ("precortesana") and courtly ("cortesana") scripts that were prominent during this period. Students will learn the morphological characteristics of these scripts, conduct paleographic analysis of historical documents written in these hands, and develop the calligraphic skills necessary to reproduce them. This module highlights the transitional nature of this period in writing history, as medieval forms gradually gave way to Renaissance innovations in script design.

Skills you'll gain

This module examines the "long 16th and 17th centuries" in Europe and Spain (1450-1640 CE), a period when the Renaissance brought crucial cultural, religious, and political changes that influenced writing styles. This era saw the completion of the transition from medieval writing forms to humanistic scripts and marked the Golden Age of calligraphy in Europe. Within the Spanish Crown territories, students will study in depth the procedural ("procesal") script and the round Gothic script, as well as different types of cursive humanistic writing. The module connects these script developments to the broader Renaissance context, highlighting how intellectual and artistic innovations of the period shaped the evolution of handwriting throughout Europe.

Skills you'll gain

This module focuses on the Early Modern period in Spain and Europe (1640-1789) and its influence on calligraphy. The historical developments of this era brought significant changes to bureaucratic systems and, consequently, to calligraphic practices. Students will study the emergence of ornamental Baroque writing styles, which reflected the artistic sensibilities of the period. The module examines how political, administrative, and cultural transformations shaped writing conventions, leading to more standardized yet decorative scripts. Through analysis of documents from this period, students will gain insight into how writing styles evolved to meet the changing needs of governments, businesses, and individuals in an increasingly complex early modern society.

Skills you'll gain