"Gotha Manuscript Talks" with Dr Guy Burak

The Gotha Research Library of the University of Erfurt holds the third largest collection of oriental manuscripts in Germany. These approximately 3,400 manuscripts, most of which came to the library around 1800, are relevant for all fields of science and shed light on the most diverse aspects of manuscript cultures. By inviting renowned researchers to the Gotha Manuscript Talks, the Gotha Research Library aims to use the material in a series of webinars to encourage greater dialogue on manuscript cultures across disciplinary boundaries and bring researchers and interested parties together to discuss oriental manuscripts.

About the lecture
In recent years, the study of Middle Eastern and Islamic libraries has called into question common adjectives such as "Islamic", "Ottoman", "medieval", "Mamluk", "Syrian" and "Palestinian". Years of research and numerous monographs have made it clear that each of these adjectives conceals as much about the library as it reveals. Nevertheless, scholars have found it difficult to abandon them. The question of the right adjectives has become topical again as part of a research project on the library established by the famous 18th-century Ottoman governor al-Jazzar in the northern Palestinian city of 'Akka. As one of the editors who coordinated the project, whose participants came from a variety of disciplines, Dr Guy Burak was fascinated by these attempts to classify al-Jazzar's library. His lecture therefore reflects on the challenge of such a classification in the broader context of historiography on libraries in the region.

To participate in the digital event on 10 April, simply click on the following link: https://uni-erfurt.webex.com/meet/veranstaltungen.fb

The next event will take place on Wednesday 24 April at 6.15 pm. The speaker will be Professor Adam Sabra from the University of California, Santa Barbara.