Ancient astronomy manuscripts published in Georgia
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Ancient documents showing the Georgian, Persian and Arabic methods of studying space and reading the stars have been published in print and digital formats by Georgia’s National Centre of Manuscripts.
Tomorrow the Centre will host a presentation of the historical manuscripts on astronomy, researched and published within a joint project between the Centre and Ilia State University, financed by the Shota Rustaveli National Scientific Foundation. The project envisaged collecting and cataloguing the manuscripts found in various local and international historical archives before publishing them.
A Georgian astronomy manuscript that dates back to the 12th Century. Photo from www.astronomicalmanuscripts.ge.
The material has been printed as a catalogue and in booklets as well as released in compact disc format and uploaded on the project website.
The manuscripts were sourced from archives in Georgia as well as from Georgian historical scientific archives in Israel and Russia.
Once the data had been collected, those involved in the project created a digital model of the historical star map.
Project insiders hoped their work would kick-start further research on astronomical manuscript material preserved in archives in Georgia.
A handwritten ancient Georgian Gospel dating back to the 12-13th centuries is featuring on a European archive website for the first time in Georgia’s history.
English-speaking people who are interested in learning more about Georgia’s history now have the possibility to see some translate ancient Georgian manuscripts, which are among the oldest in the world.
Famous ancient manuscripts of historic European authors dating back to the 2nd century BC, including the work of Greek legend Homer, showing Georgia’s connection with the greater world and the development of European writing traditions are on display in Georgia for the next three days.
A handful of the earliest preserved Georgian manuscripts have been selected to feature in a UNESCO historical database for their "world significance and outstanding universal value”.
Some of the most unique Georgian chants from medieval hymnographic collections could be brought back to life after their musical notations were reconstructed in a breakthrough study by researchers in Georgia.