Adamska A., Mostert M.
The Development of Literate Mentalities in East Central Europe
Brepols Turnhout 2004
VIII + 546 pp.
Compared
with most of Continental Europe North of the Alps, the introduction of writing
in East Central Europe (Bohemia, Poland and Hungary) took place with a
considerable delay. Much is known about East Central European uses of writing,
although only a fragment of this knowledge is known outside the region.
Gathered by historians, palaeographers and codicologists, diplomatists, art
historians, literary historians and others, this knowledge has hardly ever been
studied in the light of recent discussions on medieval literacy and
communication. Work done in the Czech, Polish and Hungarian traditions of
scholarship has never been subjected to a comparative analysis. Furthermore,
the question of the relation between writing and other forms of communication in
the region remains largely unexplored. The volume serves a double purpose. For
the first time, a collection of contributions on medieval literacy in East
Central Europe is put before the forum of international scholarship. It is also
hoped to further discussions of modes of communication, literate behaviour and
mentalities among scholars working in the region.
Link
http://www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-9782503514499-1