This course is dedicated to introducing students and researchers to the study of Ottoman-era Arabic manuscripts in Palestine, including their examination, critical editing, preservation, and cataloging.

The course covers scientific methods for reading manuscripts and analyzing their texts, in addition to identifying the various Ottoman scripts (such as Naskh, Ruq‘ah, Diwani, and Thuluth) and the copying and documentation practices of the Ottoman period. The course also focuses on the manuscript heritage of Palestine, presenting real examples from collections preserved in the libraries of Nablus, Jerusalem, Gaza, and Hebron, along with studying the physical and artistic characteristics of manuscripts such as paper, ink, binding, pagination, and ownership marks.

Participants are trained in the steps of scholarly text verification (taḥqīq), starting from collecting and comparing manuscript copies and ending with preparing the verified text for publication, with practical applications using religious, literary, and historical manuscripts from the Ottoman era.

• Understanding the history of Ottoman–Arabic manuscripts in Palestine and their cultural and scholarly significance.
• Identifying the different Ottoman scripts and the techniques of copying and ornamentation.
• Reading and interpreting old manuscripts and analyzing their texts.
• Applying scientific methodologies of text verification, including collecting copies, collating them, and documenting variants.
• Cataloguing and classifying manuscripts according to academic standards.
• Understanding the principles of digital preservation for manuscript copies and the use of digital libraries.
• Preparing descriptive studies or investigative projects on Ottoman–Arabic manuscripts.
• Managing the ethical and legal considerations related to the study and publication of manuscripts.

Graduate students in archaeology, history, jurisprudence, Arabic language, and Islamic studies.

Researchers and academics interested in manuscripts, scholarly text editing (taḥqīq), and heritage preservation.

Staff members in national libraries, archives, and cultural centers.

Anyone interested in Ottoman and Arabic manuscript heritage in Palestine and wishing to acquire skills in reading, editing, and digitization.

48 Hours