Middle Eastern Manuscript Traditions

Middle Eastern Manuscript Traditions (MEMaT) is a multidisciplinary project which aims at studying various aspects of manuscript production, utilization, and transmission history. The project is a collaboration between Sabine Schmidtke (IAS) and George A. Kiraz (IAS and Beth Mardutho). It brings together specialists with expertise in a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The activities are focused on holding workshops and publishing books on the topic.

Upcoming Events:

Workshop:
March 17, 2026: Systems of Division for the New Testament Gospels in Greek, Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic Manuscripts and Their Hermeneutic Significance. A panel workshop with Jeremiah Coogan (JST-SCU/Berkeley; IAS), George A. Kiraz (IAS), Sabine Schmidtke (IAS), and Sofía Torallas Tovar (IAS).

Throughout the history of Christianity, various systems have been used to divide the text of the New Testament Gospels. The oldest systems originated in Late Antiquity and were developed in the Greek manuscript tradition. Examples include the Eusebian cross-reference system, the divisions attested in Codex Vaticanus, and chapters first attested in Codex Alexandrinus. Once the New Testament Gospels were transferred into new cultural spheres and languages, elements of some old systems were preserved or adapted while new ones were introduced. The analysis of the various systems of division in the Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic manuscript traditions is still in its infancy. During the panel workshop, we will present examples of some of the most widely attested division systems in these manuscript traditions, focusing on manuscripts with the continuous text of the New Testament Gospels (or some of them). 12–2 pm, Rubenstein Commons 1.

Lecture:
March 25: Near Eastern Studies Seminar, Formation of the Syriac Lectionary System, George A. Kiraz (IAS School of Historical Studies). 

This lecture traces the historical development of the Syriac lectionary system from its late antique origins to its early modern stabilization in print. It examines how biblical texts were reorganized, excerpted, and liturgically sequenced for use in worship. Particular attention is given to the transition from continuous Gospel codices to pericope-based liturgical books, the emergence of standardized incipit and explicit formulae, and the role of marginal paratext in guiding public reading. The lecture will also outline the structure of the Syriac liturgical year—its festal and seasonal cycles—and explain how the lectionary functions within that calendar. The talk will briefly cover a recent proposal by the Syriac Orthodox Liturgical Committee, primarily led by Mor Severus Roger Akhrass, that brings the manuscripts of Late Antiquity to contemporary worship. 12:30-2:00 pm, Rubenstein Commons 1, IAS.

Workshop: 
April 22-24, 2026: The Bible in Middle Eastern Manuscript Traditions. Conveners: George A. Kiraz (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton), Sabine Schmidtke (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton), Valentina Sagaria Rossi (University of Rome Tor Vergata) and Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo, Rome. Call details.