Iranian Programme
- Slot 1: Manichaean Middle Persian Texts
- Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst (Berlin)
Course description
After an overview of the language and an introduction to Manichaean script and the Manichaean community in Turfan, the course will deal with the language and contents of the Manichaean Middle Persian texts in the Turfan Collection in Berlin by reading them. We will start with part of the Šābuhragān and the beginning of Mani's Gospel both of which can be regarded as texts that stem directly or indirectly from Mani himself and therefore belong firmly to the 3rd century. Then we will move on to cosmogonical and historical/hagiographical texts and to a section of the 'Book of Giants' and examples of Manichean Midddle Persian verse texts, most of which are also early prose and verse texts that give a excellent and faithful view of Middle Persian in a clear orthography that contrasts very clearly with the orthographical difficulties of epigraphical and Zoroastrian Middle Persian. The course will conclude with a late text, the description of the Uigur court in the fragment M 1.
Requirements
Prior knowledge of Middle Persian is not assumed.
Course materials
For convenience the texts can be consulted in Mary Boyce, A reader in Manichaean Middel Persian and Parthian, Leiden 1975. This will be supplemented by examples from manuscripts and younger editions. For the vocabulary see M. Boyce, A word-list, Leiden 1977 and D. Durkin-Meisterernst, A Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian, Turnhout 2004. For translations see J. P. Assmussen,
Manichaean Literature, Delmar 1975 and H.-J. Klimkeit, Gnosis on the Silk Road, San Fransisco1993.
- Slot 2: Manichaean Parthian Texts
- Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst (Berlin)
Course description
After an overview of the language and an introduction to Manichaean script and the Manichaean community in Turfan, the course will deal with the language and contents of the Manichaean Parthian texts in the Turfan Collection in Berlin by reading them. Besides some historical/hagiographical texts, the Parthian texts mostly consist of hymns and homilies that arose in the late 3rd and in the 4th centuries.
They are therefore the best source of Parthian available to us and their orthography is clear and uncluttered. The perfect preservation of these texts reflects on the community life of the Uigur and Sogdian speaking Manichaeans in Turfan who used Middle Persian and Parthian as church languages in the 8th to 10th centuries. We will read individual hymns and parts of the hymn-cycles and parts of two well-attested homilies.
Requirements
Prior knowledge of Parthian is not assumed.
Course materials
For convenience the texts can be consulted in Mary Boyce, A reader in Manichaean Middel Persian and Parthian, Leiden 1975. This will be supplemented by examples from manuscripts and younger editions for the homilies. For the vocabulary see M. Boyce, A word-list, Leiden 1977 and D. Durkin-Meisterernst, A Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian, Turnhout 2004. For translations see J. P. Assmussen, Manichaean Literature, Delmar 1975 and H.-J. Klimkeit, Gnosis on the Silk Road, San Fransisco1993.
- Slot 3: The Behistun Inscription: the Old Persian, the Akkadian and the Aramaic Versions
- Holger Gzella & Alexander Lubotsky (Leiden)
Course description
The aim of this course is to read the Behistun inscription in full and to compare the extant versions in order to better understand the history of the text, the meaning and intent of various portions, and to check the readings.
Requirements
The course is intended for both Semitists and Iranists / Indo-Europeanists. Before embarking on reading the text, a short introduction to Old Persian as well as to Aramaic will be given.
Course materials
As an introductory bibliography, the following texts can be read:
- A. Lubotsky and M. de Vaan, Altpersisch. Sprachen aus der Welt des Alten Testaments, H. Gzella (ed.), Darmstadt 2009, 160-174.
- Rüdiger Schmitt, The Bisitun Inscriptions of Darius the Great. Old Persian Text (Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicarum, Part I: Inscriptions of Ancient Iran. Volume I, The Old Persian Inscriptions; Texts 1.) 1991 London.
- Slot 4: Manichaeism
- Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst (Berlin)
Course description
Mani (216-276) developed a syncretistic gnostic dualistic religion that embraced written books and translation as its missionary tools. The religion provoked a very aggressive reaction from its adversaries but still managed to survive until about the 16th century. The active translation work led to the production of a considerable body of original Manichaean literature of which Coptic, Greek, Latin, Middle Iranian, Old Turkish and Chinese texts (and even one text in Tocharian) have survived. There is also quite an amount of anti-Manichaean literature. The very clear and uncluttered 'Manichaean' script used for the Middle Iranian and Old Turkish texts makes these texts very valuable sources for the study of those languages. The course aims to deal with Manichaeism as such, its background, main tenets, history and role within its historical context. Original sources will be discussed: Translations of chosen passages from the Coptic, Greek, Syriac, Arabic and Iranian Manichaean and anti-Manichaean sources will be provided. The course also aims at helping to elucidate the often obscure content of Manichaean texts and should therefore be useful for participants attending the reading courses in Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian (though each of the three courses stands separately).
1. Manichaeism, sources, history of study
2. Mani, life and works
3. The Manichaean myth: cosmogony
4. The Manichaean myth: gnosis
5. The Manichaean community and community life; the sacred meal; bema
6. Manichaean missions, Manichaeism and power, a Sasanian religion?
7. Manichaean background: El-Khasai
8. Manichaean background in and interaction with Zoroastrianism
9. Manichean literature
10. Manichaeism in Central Asia and China and its demise
