Reading Pictures: On the Value of the Copperplates in the Beschryvinghe of Pieter de Marees (1602) as Source Material for Ethnohistorical Research

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 147-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regula Iselin
Keyword(s):  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Source Material ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
Historical Source ◽  
History Of

The Beschryvinghe appeared in 1602 in Amsterdam under the title Beschrybinge ende historische verhael vant Gout koninckrijck van Gunea, anders de Gout-custe de Mina genaemt, liggende in het veel van Africa… The aim here is to ascertain whether the copperplates have ethnohistorical value as source material, i.e., whether they can be employed as source material relating to the history of Ghana at the beginning of the seventeenthth century, or whether their importance is restricted merely to their contribution to the history of ideas. The background necessary for the examination, description, and interpretation of the copperplates involves study of the genesis of the Beschryvinghe. The following discussion of the author, publisher, and printer, and copperplate techniques also points to questions of the intention, function, and reception—both of the Beschryvinghe and of the pictures.Drawing a distinction between picture and illustration seems to me to be of little use. Even if every picture is not an illustration, every illustration is certainly a picture. In what follows I therefore consider the illustrative picture as a medium which, even if of a different quality, is comparable to the medium of language. This means that pictures, like texts, have to be read carefully. The method is thus one of precise and detailed examination and analysis of the content of the images. However, the comparability of language and image also implies that the pictures must be subjected to a rigorous critique of their status as source material, just as is the case with texts. In this context I have followed the “different stages Of ethno-historical source critique” developed by Miklós Szalay.

Oral Testimony as Historical Source Material for the Reconstruction of the Judicial History of Shipping in India (1600-1800)

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mir Kamruzzman Chowdhary
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Maritime History ◽  
Historical Source ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Oral Testimony ◽  
History Of ◽  
Judicial History ◽  
Source Materials

This study was an attempt to understand how the available alternative source materials, such as oral testimonies can serve as valuable assets to unveiling certain aspects of maritime history in India. A number of themes in maritime history in India failed to get the attention of the generation of historians, because of the paucity of written documents. Unlike in Europe, the penning down of shipping activities was not a concern for the authorities at the port in India. The pamphlets and newsletters declared the scheduled departure of the ship in Europe but, in India, this was done verbally. Therefore, maritime history in India remained marginalised. Hence, in this article, I make an endeavour to perceive how the oral testimonies can help shed some new light on certain aspects of maritime history in India, such as life on the ship, maritime practices, and perceptions among the littoral people in coastal societies. This article also outlines an approach on how the broader question on the transformation of scattered maritime practices among coastal societies can be adapted and transferred into an organised institution of law by the nineteenth century, and how these can be pursued in future. I also suggest in this article that the role of Europeans, especially the British, in the process of transformation, can be investigated further through oral testimonies in corroboration with the colonial archival records.

scholarly journals Naked eye: memoirs and diaries as a historical source material for studying the history of Belarusian press in the Second Polish Republic.

2020 ◽  
pp. 435-444
Author(s):  
Nadzeya Sluka
Keyword(s):  
Source Material ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Historical Source ◽  
Naked Eye ◽  
Unique Information ◽  
Documentary Sources ◽  
National Movement ◽  
History Of

The article deals with the particular kind of documentary sources for the history of the Belarusians in the Second Polish Republic – memoirs and diaries. The memoirs of Liudvika Vojcik, Janka Bagdanowič, Marjan Pieciukievič, and also the diaries of Maksim Tank and Piotr Siaŭruk are reviewed. The article concludes that personal writings provide unique information about the Belarusian national movement and the Belarusian press that can be applied in further historical research.  

scholarly journals Reformation, Mikael Agricola, and the Birth of the Finnish Literary Language

Nordlit ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaisa Häkkinen ◽  
Kirsi Salonen ◽  
Tanja Toropainen
Keyword(s):  
Linguistic Analysis ◽  
Source Material ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Literary Language ◽  
Historical Source ◽  
Printed Books ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Creation

This article revisits the traditional history of the birth of the Finnish literary language in the aftermath of the Lutheran Reformation in the first half of the 16th century. Contrary to what earlier scholars have assumed, the article argues that the creation of the Finnish literary language cannot be attributed exclusively to the Bishop of Turku, Mikael Agricola, who is known as “the father of the Finnish literary language” because he published the first printed books in Finnish. The article will show that although the first Finnish publications were printed in the name of the Bishop of Turku, they were based on the translations of more authors. The article will also propose answers to the question, who these until now unknown authors could have been. The article is based on the study of relevant contemporary historical source material and close linguistic analysis of the early translations of ecclesiastical texts into Finnish.

scholarly journals Plan kodeksu cywilnego i projekt utworzenia komisji kodyfikacyjnej w pracach Komitetu Cywilnego Reformy (1814–1815). Edycja źródłowa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-387
Author(s):  
Michał Gałędek ◽  
Anna Klimaszewska ◽  
Piotr Z. Pomianowski
Keyword(s):  
Civil Law ◽  
Civil Code ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Historical Source ◽  
Introductory Part ◽  
History Of ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Last Stage ◽  
Matrimonial Law ◽  
Council Of State

The Plan for the New Civil Code and the project for the establishment of the Codification Commission prepared for the Civil Reform Committee (1814–1815). Historical Source Edition As part of the source publication series begun in the second fascicle of the twelfth volume of Krakowskie Studia z Historii Państwa i Prawa [Krakow Studies in History of State and Law], we are publishing this time documents related to the preparation of the Civil Reform Committee, which operated in 1814–1815, to develop a new national civil code to replace the Napoleonic Code: 1. Wstęp przy wprowadzeniu planu do kodeksu cywilnego [Introduction to the Plan of Implementation of the Civil Code], 2. Plan Bieńkowskiego do nowego kodeksu cywilnego [Bieńkowski’s Plan for the New Civil Code], 3. Projekt Linowskiego do uformowania komisji mającej wygotowaćKsięgęprawa cywilnego i procedury [Linowski’s Plan for Forming a Commission to Prepare a Book of Civil Law and Procedure] and fragments of minutes of the Civil Reform Committee sessions regarding this draft. Source material on matrimonial law published in two last issues of the „Krakow Studies”in 2019 differed from the documents published in this fascicle because they were intended to serve only a partial reform of the Napoleonic Code envisaged for a temporary period, until a new civil code was developed. Antoni Bieńkowski presented his Plan for Implementation of the Civil Code at the session held on 20th November, 1814, less than a month after presenting the drafts of matrimonial law to the Civil Reform Committee (23rd October). The introductory part of the Plan presents the general assumptions regarding the works. They are followed by a list of the planned chapters and a justification of the adopted order. The actual Plan itself (second document) lists the same titles of chapters, along with the issues that should be regulated in a given place, and then it indicates where the models to follow could be sought. The debate related to the presentation of Bieńkowski’s Plan and the scope of activities in this field entrusted to the Committee by Emperor Alexander, took place at sessions held from 17th to 24th November. It ended with the preparation of Aleksander Linowski’s Plan for Forming a Commission to Prepare a Book of Civil Law and Procedure on 27th November. This document planned three stages of codification works: first, a 9-member commission was to draft both codes, and then departmental deputies were to work on them (first personally, and then representatives of them, with some Committee members). The last stage of preparatory works was to be comprised of meetings of five senators and members of the Council of State with selected Committee members and a representatives of departmental deputies.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James McElvenny
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of

This chapter sets the scene for the case studies that follow in the rest of the book by characterising the ‘age of modernism’ and identifying problems relating to language and meaning that arose in this context. Emphasis is laid on the social and political issues that dominated the era, in particular the rapid developments in technology, which inspired both hope and fear, and the international political tensions that led to the two World Wars. The chapter also sketches the approach to historiography taken in the book, interdisciplinary history of ideas.

AN APPRAISAL OF SOURCE MATERIAL FOR THE STUDY OF TARGUM MINOR PROPHETS

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 451-469
Author(s):  
Gudrun Lier ◽  
Anna Fransina Van Zyl
Keyword(s):  
Source Material ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
Integrated Research ◽  
Translation Techniques ◽  
Former Prophets ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
History Of Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Work Done ◽  
Minor Prophets

The study of Aramaic Bible translations (Targumim) continues to be a valuable source of information, not only for uncovering the history of biblical interpretation but also for providing insights for the study of linguistics and translation techniques. In comparison with work done on the Pentateuchal Targumim and Targum Former Prophets, research on the individual books of Targum Minor Prophets has been scant. By providing an overview of selected source material this review seeks (i) to provide incentives for more focussed studies in the field of Targum Minor Prophets and (ii) to motivate new integrated research approaches which are now made possible with the assistance of highly developed software programmes.

Legend of the Feodorov’s Icon of the Mother of God as a Historical Source about Sacred Thing of the House of Romanov

2010 ◽  
pp. 44-49
Author(s):  
Olga N. Radeeva
Keyword(s):  
Historical Source ◽  
History Of ◽  
Actual Material ◽  
Book Culture

The article is devoted to the history of Feodorovskaya icon. The article conclusions are based on research of the Legend about appearance and wonders of deiparous icon, which is the main historical source on this theme. The Legend of Feodorovskaya icon not only contains an interesting actual material, but also is an integral part of Russia's book culture.

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