The Organization of Information: Observations on the Manuscripts of the Nomocanon XIV Titulorum

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In September 2008, the seventh edition of the International Colloquium of Greek Palaeography (Madrid-Salamanca, 15-20 September 2008) celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Palaeographia Graeca, the pioneer work of the Benedictine Bernard de Montfaucon that established the fundamentals of the discipline. Papers by renowned specialists in the field contributed to the methodology of study and to our knowledge of Greek manuscripts, and opened new perspectives for the study of the Greek manuscripts preserved mostly in European libraries, taking into account new methodological approaches, the possibilities of online resources and the results of ongoing research projects.

The Proceedings published here include contributions by specialists from over ten different countries, dealing with palaeographical issues such as ancient capital and lower-case lettering, writing and books in the Macedonian, Comnenian and Palaeologan periods, and Greek scribes and ateliers in the Renaissance (especially in manuscripts from the Iberian Peninsula). Many contributors also take a codicological approach and consider the material aspects of the codex, as well as other new research techniques. Finally, some papers deal with the book as object and how this relates to its content, as well as with the history of texts.

The International Colloquia of Greek Palaeography are organized by the International Committee of Greek Palaeography, presided by Prof. Dieter Harlfinger. The seventh edition payed tribute to the memory of the late Jean Irigoin, who died in 2006.

Manuscripts of the Nomocanon XIV Titulorum had to serve a practical purpose: they were meant to be searched, not read consecutively, and had to be kept up-to-date. In view of the latter purpose, they were manuscrits vivants, as is shown by the codices. For systematic access to the material, numerals were used. A detailed study of the numerals used in a manuscript may not only tell how the material had been organized, but also provide information as to the textual tradition of the various parts of the text of the Nomocanon. Special attention is given to two manuscripts: Oxon. Laud gr. 39 and Vat. Barb. gr. 578.