“Reading Armenian Manuscripts”
Mediterranean Studies Summer Skills Seminar
29 June — 2 July 2026 • Remote
The Summer Skills Seminar, “Reading Armenian Manuscripts” will be held via Zoom from Monday, 29 June to Thursday 2 Juoly from 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm MDT.
EXTENDED REGISTRATION UNTIL JUNE 23
APPLY HERE
Course overview
From the fifth century CE onward, Armenian writing has spanned an incredible geographic and cultural scope. This intensive and introductory course guides participants to decipher medieval and early modern Armenian manuscripts, running a textual gamut from the work of professional scribes at the Cilician chancellery to the marginal notes of monastic readers, hard pressed for candles (and eyesight); from the personal correspondence of travelers, far from home, to equally well-traveled romances in the worldly vernacular. Through a combination of small-pair and group work, participants will acquire the paleographic skills to accurately read and describe handwritten texts in the Armenian script -- a massive corpus that includes works not only in Classical, Middle, dialectal, and modern Armenian, but other languages as well, such as Turkish (Armeno-Turkish) and Persian (Armeno-Persian).
We will focus on the primary Armenian scripts, taking some minor detours through the riches of epigraphy, zoomorphic writing, early printing, and modern handwriting along the way. Short lectures will add cultural and historical context, introducing common features in manuscript culture such as colophons, pictographic abbreviations, and the Armenian calendrical system, alongside lesser-known scribal practices.
This seminar is held on Zoom over four days, with two two-hour sessions per day, and is open to undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, professors, librarians, and learners at any stage of life. Basic reading knowledge of Armenian (Classical or modern) is required; course texts may be modified based on student request and interest. Students will also gain familiarity with important reference works on Armenian language, paleography, manuscript culture, literature, and other subjects, as well as experience finding and reading digitized Armenian manuscripts online.
Finally, participants will receive a certificate which may be listed on a CV and other documents, such as grant applications, upon completion of the course.
Participants said:
I took the course to deepen my knowledge of Armenian writing history, paleography, and epigraphy. My goal was to improve my skills in reading various scripts and understanding different writing traditions, while also exploring Armenian spatial concepts and their links to Greek culture. I also wanted to connect more with the American academic community focused on Armenian studies, learn about publishing options for my research, and develop a professional relationship with the instructor, whose expertise in medieval Armenian written culture made this course particularly meaningful.
I feel much more confident about working with manuscripts and have been provided a variety of excellent online resources for finding them which I have already begun using to expand my research.
Given the course's short duration, I was impressed by how much material was covered. The program was intensive and very well organized, and the instructor provided as comprehensive an introduction to the topics as could reasonably be expected within such a limited timeframe. I especially appreciated the balance between breadth and depth, as well as the instructor’s ability to present complex material in a clear and engaging way.
My overall rating for the course is 5/5 stars. I never once regretted my decision to participate—in fact, it exceeded my expectations. The course was incredibly valuable for my research and professional development. Opportunities to receive hands-on training in medieval Armenian paleography are quite rare, which made this experience especially meaningful. Huge thanks for offering such an excellent course!
Michael was an encouraging and knowledgeable teacher, whose course structure was intuitive and extremely well-planned. Each section flowed into the next one well and gave a great summary of materials that are available and what scripts exist, as well as providing necessary context for an understanding of Armenian history. At one point when I suffered technical difficulties and missed some of a lesson, Michael offered to stay afterwards to go through what I had missed, which was extremely appreciated!
The instructor was exceptionally attentive, approachable, and supportive of every participant. He made sure everyone had the opportunity to practice reading and translating texts in different Armenian scripts, creating an inclusive and encouraging learning environment. His answers to our questions were always thorough and insightful, and he responded to emails promptly, kindly, and with genuine openness.
I have nothing but positive impressions of both the instructor and the course as a whole.
Michael is an amazing instructor. He has always been patient and answered all of our questions.
Faculty
Michael Pifer is Marie Manoogian Professor of Armenian Language and Literature at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies. His research seeks to situate medieval Armenian language and literary history within broader contexts of multilingualism and cultural exchange. He is a team member of the European Research Council funded project, Armenia Entangled: Connectivity and Cultural Encounters in Medieval Eurasia, 9th - 14th Centuries, based in Florence. Pifer is the author of Kindred Voices: A Literary History of Medieval Anatolia (Yale University Press, 2021) and the co-editor of the volume An Armenian Mediterranean: Words and Worlds in Motion (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). He has previously taught courses in Classical Armenian at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Fresno State, and the University of Michigan.
Prerequisites and preparation
Basic reading knowledge of Armenian (Classical or modern) is required.
Application & Information
The regular application period is until April 26.
There is an application deposit of $100USD or €100. This will be refunded when course payment is made.
Late applications will be accepted if there is availability and will be subject to a late fee.
If you are not accepted your application deposit will be refunded.
Applicants will be advised of acceptance by May 1. Payment is due on 15 May. Applicants waiting on a grant or subvention should contact us without delay to make arrangements.
Late applicants may be accommodated if space remains. For late applicants full payment will be due within three days of acceptance, including a $75 surcharge for late applications, or be subject to an additional fee.
All payments are final and non-refundable. A letter of confirmation/ receipt will be provided by the Mediterranean Seminar, together with a certificate of completion once the course has concluded.
NOTE: Numbers are limited; participants are encouraged to apply early.
Fees
There has been no increase in fees for 2026
• $1100 for Full Professors, Librarians & Professionals
• $825 for tenured Associates, Emerita/us, Retired Faculty, Independent Scholars & Non-Academics;
• $575 for non-tenured Associates and Assistants, Postdoctoral Fellows & Graduate and Undergraduate students;
• $400 for Adjuncts, Lecturers & Contingent faculty.
Limited reductions are offered to applicants who are (1) nationals; (2) current residents; (3) AND faculty or students in low-per-capita GDP countries may apply for a reduction (the Low-GDP Bursary program).
Payment information will be provided at the time of acceptance. Posted fees do not include a 5% processing fee.
How do we determine our fees?
Why have our fees gone up
Can I get a reduction in fees?
What is the low-GDP Bursary program?
Proposed Program
Monday, 29 June 2026
10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm
1: Introduction to the Armenian scripts
2: The oldest Armenian writing
Tuesday, 30 June 2026
10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm
1: Professional scribes and the Cilician chancellery
2: An orientation to monastic scribal culture
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm
1: A portfolio of Early Modern Armenian writing
2: From the manuscript to early printed book
Thursday, 2 July 2026
10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm
1: Epigraphic interludes (and other writing modes)
2: Modern handwriting
Please note: Sessions are subject to change due to student interest / request. If there is something in particular you wish to be covered, please write to mpifer@umich.edu in advance of the course.
Important dates:
Application period: 26 April 2026
Acceptance/stand by notifications: 5 May 2026
Full payment: 12 May 2026 (subject to extension for late applicants/ or pending grants)
NOTE: Numbers are limited; participants are encouraged to apply early.
Information
For general information regarding fees, enrollment, and administrative matters, contact the Mediterranean Seminar; for questions regarding seminar content and materials, contact the instructor directly.