#NewPublication #OpenAccess #ChristianEast #ManuscriptStudies #BookHistory #ArabicBible “Monastic Literature in Early Islamic Palestine and Sinai: Manuscripts, Scribes, Translators, Authors, and Later Readers”, COMSt Bulletin Special Issue, ed. by Adrian C. Pirtea

For the word nerds out there, the word in Akkadian for "expert in aromatics" is muraqqītu. This was the technical domain of women. As another random example, a woman named Tukulti-sha-shamê "the muraqqītu", provided oil for cultic events for a period of 8 months to a steward named Saggi'u.

Join us next Thursday 26 Feb at 10 AM CET for a paper by Maria S. Thomas (UniVie) on the manuscript production of the Syriac Orthodox monastery of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem in the twelfth century! If you are not yet on our mailing list, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social

Postdocs were recently described as 'the disposable worker bees of academia". @elckerlieke.bsky.social and I added to the conversation. How can we better recognise the contributions of this essential part of the academic ecosystem? www.voicesyoungacademics.nl/articles/for...

We're thrilled to share with you the programme for the 2026 online seminar of the project! The series is curated by our colleague Maria S. Thomas (@dekayra.bsky.social). All welcome! Let us know if you'd like to add you to the email list. genaut.univie.ac.at/?page_id=671

Next week we are hosting another paper, this time by Nicolas Atas (KU Leuven) on Syriac lexica! Tune in on Thursday 5 Feb at our regular time of 10 AM CET. As always, don't forget to register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social if you're not yet on our mailing list!

Call for Papers - EABS 2026: Biblical Reception in Eastern Christian Traditions. We welcome papers on manuscripts, margins, scribes, biblical traditions, and more. Abstracts can be submitted until 31 January 2026: eabs.my.site.com/s/research-u...

Very exciting to see the new book of Leuven colleague Hanneke van der Schoor has now appeared, who uses Dead Sea Scroll evidence about the mysterious figure of Qahat to think through modern practices of editing and textual classification (brill.com/display/titl...; @dgb-relbibtheo.bsky.social).

Excited to announce this for late April! Join us by zoom, it will be online too. #lateantiquity #earlymiddleages @hebrewuniversity.bsky.social

Pasts Imperfect is back from break! This week, we focus on AI ethics and labor with @illdottore.bsky.social, Christine Johnston & Leigh Anne Lieberman. Then, ancient bees in jawbones, Roman camels in Basel, a book on temple robbery, new ancient world journals @yaleclassicslib.bsky.social & much more

Happy New Year everyone! We are starting off 2026 next Friday 9 Jan at 10 AM with a paper by Roman Gundacker (ÖAW/UniVie) on Manetho's Aegyptiaca. If you're not yet on the mailing list and interested in attending, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social

Bit of news here: genaut.univie.ac.at/?p=1595 @erc.europa.eu #ERCCoG

Today, Sid and I are attempting a recipe for “roy marmelaede” with quinces from the Antwerp Annunciates’ recipe book (first half 17th century, with some later additions - @kbrbe.bsky.social). Quite curious as to how this will go (1/?) #earlyModern #bookhistory #womenshistory #foodhistory

To avoid any curses, attending is recommended.

Exiting the theology faculty has become quite the adventure.

Looking forward to hearing about the creative use of an East Syriac text in a medieval Syriac Orthodox context tomorrow!

The next TeTra event is another Book in the Spotlight, this time with Sofia Puchkova. Discussant is Samuel Fernández (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile). Tuesday 1 July at 4PM CET, don't miss it! If you are not yet on the mailing list, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social

Next week we offer the floor to one of the long-term participants in our seminar. Boško Erić (University of East Sarajevo) will be speaking about the Letter of Mara bar Serapion on Thu 5 June, at 10 AM. If you're not yet on the mailing list, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social

Also now up on our YouTube channel, the recording of Antonietta Castiello's paper on the inscriptions of the Palmyrene diaspora. Enjoy! www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_o2...

In case you missed it, the recording of Federico Alpi's talk about the Nicene Creed in the Armenian version of the Didascalia CCCXVIII Patrum is now available on our Youtube channel alongside many other papers and all the lectures! www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0cx...

Four-year postdoc in Syriac studies in Vienna. Join my team in the FWF START Project "Generative Authority: The Followers of the Apostles as Literary Characters," genaut.univie.ac.at/ Deadline June 1st. Happy to respond to any inquiries! @fwf-at.bsky.social @univie.ac.at

New special issue on practices of authorship edited by Sabrina Inowlocki: www.mohrsiebeck.com/en/issue/ear... Thank you for the invitation to be part of this, @sabrinainowlocki.bsky.social!

Proof day! The special issue I edited on Christian authorship is out soon in Early Christianity. Watch out to see the fantastic papers by my distinguished colleagues @danbatovici.bsky.social @gpfewster.bsky.social @worldlyscribe.bsky.social and @jeremiahcoogan.bsky.social

'The lamb is among all beasts the most sweet and innocent...It hurts no man with teeth, nails or horns and all that comes of him is good and profitable...' Surely the scribe was considering the parchment of that very folio - made more noticeable by the hole - as he wrote this... [Harley 6149].

Join us on Thursday 6 February at 10 AM for a conversation with @mateuszkusio.bsky.social on the early Christian Latin poet Commodianus

Tomorrow!

We are delighted to be hosting an exhibition of artworks for the next month! KIRKWALL SAGA by Morgan Barnett is inspired by the Kirkwall Ba', and will be on display until 13 February. Entry to the exhibition and cathedral are FREE, open 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm, Monday to Saturday.

We are thrilled to announce the preliminary TeTra programme for 2025, which is now available on our new website: tetra.univie.ac.at! Wishing you a very good, hopefully restful Christmas break, and an even better new year, Your Tetra team – Marion, Giorgia, Andy and Dan

Space, mental maps, and Byzantine storytelling in tomorrow's TeTra seminar. It's still possible to register for our final meeting of 2024.

Thread on all things Narsai 😍

Al 60.000 mensen hebben de petitie tegen de bezuinigingen getekend - docenten, studenten en hun ouders, maar ook veel andere bezorgde burgers. Het zou mooi zijn als die de komende dagen nog meer handtekeningen krijgt!

These kinds of transcriptions, made by Karaites, are an invaluable source for how Tiberian #Hebrew was pronounced, especially when it comes to vowel length. Biblical Hebrew spelling doesn't mark vowel length; not consistently. So, many scholars simply think it didn't exist anymore in Tiberian. BUT…

My favourite classroom now comes with its own travel directions.

Bit of an update/introduction: I recently relocated to Vienna from Leuven to start a 5-year team project on the followers of the apostles as literary characters, and I’m pretty thrilled to announce that it is all now in full swing! Check out the website: genaut.univie.ac.at/

this sheep is how being on @bsky.app feels

Upcoming talk by @monikaamsler.bsky.social amsler.bsky.social on the Babylonian Talmud and late ancient practices of organising knowledge. TeTra Text and Transmission Seminar, 25 April, 10am CET. All welcome!

Excited to learn more about new Leuven colleague Ayhan Aksu's research on manuscripts and Jewish-Nabataean relations at tomorrow's Text and Transmission Seminar. 8 Feb, 10am CET. All welcome! www.facebook.com/events/12933...

Deadline extended until January 31!

The Text and Transmission Research Seminar will host two exciting events in the coming week (through Zoom): theo.kuleuven.be/en/research/...

Standoff between two magpies and a squirrel outside of my window. A Coveted Food Item has been spotted. The squirrel seems to be winning.

Sunrise this morning.