Lesson

Syriac Scripts - Later Estrangela

Later Estrangela

Description

Further evolution of Estrangela script as well as its continued use alongside other script-types.

Example 1 - 12th/13th-century manuscripts

Jerusalem, SMMJ 55, f. 56r (dated 1170)

Here are examples of manuscripts mainly from the 12th century and later. While Estrangela has the reputation for being the early Syriac script-type par excellence, it continued to be used well past the 15th century, not only in titles or rubrics, but for complete texts. In general, the lines of later Estrangela manuscripts are thicker, with less distinction between thin and thick lines in these copies. As in earlier periods, some letter-shapes similar to or identical with Serto (or East Syriac) may be found. In a previous lesson we saw an Estrangela manuscript with a Serto colophon, and here we will see Estrangela manuscripts with colophons in East Syriac.

Fenqitho

Jerusalem, St. Mark's Monastery, SMMJ 55, f. 56r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapserifless on right leg
still sits a little below the line
may have Serto shape in final position (see f. 56r, ll. 6 and 19; f. 77v, l. 4)
gāmaltaller than ʿē, but hangs only a little below line when initial
when medial, the long line bisects the baseline of the word (cf. šgušē on f. 56r, l. 4)
dālat / rēšSerto shape
Serto shape
wāwSerto shape
ḥētabout the same height as yod
yodwhen final and unattached to previous letter, not merely an angle, but has an extender to the right
kāpround on top, but more pointed than earlier examples
mimclosed loop
semkatjoined to following letter
šinthe top part more a thick line than a bowl joined to the horizontal base
tāwthe loop is closed or almost closed

Diyarbakir, DIYR 340, ff. 30v-31r (11th/12th C.)

Gospels (Harklean)

Diyarbakir, Meryem Ana Syriac Orthodox Church, DIYR 340, ff. 30v-31r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapserifless on right leg
left leg hangs below the line
there is really no body to the letter when non-initial
gāmalnot much taller than ʿē
hangs well below the line, ending in a dot
dālat / rēšSerto shape
Serto shape
wāwSerto shape
ḥētnoticeably taller than yod
yodwhen final and unattached to previous letter, not merely an angle, but has an extender to the right
kāpround on top, not as semi-pointed as some later examples
when final, the descender is very thin
mimwhen final, the descender is very thin
nunwhen final, the descender is very thin
semkatvery unlike earlier Estrangela: the two loops almost unidentifiable as loops, with a resulting shape almost a small θ leaning about 45° to the left
šinrather narrow top line
tāwthe loop is closed or almost closed

Jerusalem, SMMJ 32, ff. 91v-92r (12th C.?)

Gospel Lectionary

Jerusalem, St. Mark's Monastery, SMMJ 32, ff. 91v-92r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapright leg has serif
gāmalbottom of letter ends in a dot
dālat / rēšthick top line
center line touches neither left nor right line
wāwunclosed loop, sharper on right
yodboth types of final: small angle and with left extender
kāpthe more pointed type
final has a very thin descender
mimunclosed loop when not final
final has a very thin descender
ʿēwhen initial, rightmost part has a dot (cf. gāmal)

None of the Serto features that characterize some other Estrangela manuscripts, both earlier and later. Abbreviations, seldom used, are marked not with a simple overline, but a dotted overline.

Mardin, CCM 29, f. 27r (12th/13th C.)

Gospel Lectionary

Mardin, Chaldean Cathedral, CCM 29, f. 27r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapleft leg often hanging especially low
the straight line type of ālap rarely appears (cf. f. 28r, col. b, l. 13)
gāmaldot at the bottom
dālat / rēšthe round Serto shape, hanging only slightly below the line
closed loop on the left, as in Serto
wāwperfectly round and closed
semkatof the left-leaning θ type
tāwhas a tightly closed loop

The letter-lines in this manuscript vary little in thickness.

Mosul, ASOM 1, f. 17v (dated 1279)

Gospel Lectionary - dated April 20, 1279

Mosul, Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese, ASOM 1, f. 17v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapserif on right leg
does not sit below line, except when final
gāmallowest part of the letter ends in a dot
the center line has a short, thin descender
wāwunclosed loop
yodfinal form is the angle type
kāpthe more pointed type
mimunclosed when non-final
semkatlike the old shape, with taller left loop than right
the loops are both rather pointed
ʿēleftmost part of letter does not have a dot
tāwrather open loop

No Serto features.

Mardin, CFMM 41, p. 94/ f. 56v (13th C.?)

Gospel Lectionary

Mardin, Church of the Forty Martyrs, CFMM 41, p. 94 (f. 56v). All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapserif on right leg
sits below line
bētrather narrow
gāmallowest part of the letter ends in a dot
yodnon-final type very short
final type has left extender
kāpmore rounded than pointed
semkatlike the old shape, with taller left loop than right
the left loop more pointed than the right
ʿēinitial form has no dot (cf. gāmal), but does have a small serif
sādētop part at the line barely horizontal, more curvy
šintop part rather straight
tāwloop rather open

No Serto features.

Diyarbakir, DIYR 338, f. 24v (11th/12th C.)

Fenqitho

Diyarbakir, Meryem Ana Syriac Orthodox Church, DIYR 338, f. 24v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapserif on right leg
sits below line
dālat / rēšSerto shape
gāmallowest part ends in a dot
Serto shape
wāwSerto shape
ḥēttaller than yod
kāprelatively round on top, but with more of an angle than some others
mimclosed loop
semkatangled θ type
ʿēinitial form has a serif
šintop line curved at both ends
tāwloop closed

Example 2 - 15th/16th-century manuscripts

Mardin, CCM 72, f. 35v (dated 1488)

Gospel Lectionary

Mardin, Chaldean Cathedral, CCM 72, f. 35v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

This manuscript shows some variation in the thickness of letter-lines, and with an overall more flowing feel than some later Estrangela manuscripts. There are no Serto-like features here, and the letters-shapes are a simple, straightforward Estrangela. Note the very small size of the (East Syriac) vocalic dots.

Mardin, CCM 62, f. 22v (dated 1543)

Gospel Lectionary

Mardin, Chaldean Cathedral, CCM 62, f. 22v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

Again, there are no Serto-like features here, and the letters-shapes are a simple, straightforward Estrangela, as in CCM 72, but the scribe of this manuscript, whether from care or expertise, has produced a more imposing text thanks to wider word-spacing and more consistent letter-forms. Note the very small size of the (East Syriac) vocalic dots, again as in CCM 72.

Tell Kaif, QACCT 11, f. 26v (dated 1587)

Gospel Lectionary

Tell Kaif, Qalb Al-Aqdas Chaldean Church, QACCT 11, f. 26v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapa very thin leg on the right with a dot on the bottom
gāmaldot on the bottom
yodvery small in final form
semkatpointed loops, the left one tallerrved at both ends

Again, there are no Serto shapes, and these are all common Estrangela forms. The colophon is in East Syriac, in contrast to the main text's Estrangela. The taller letters (ṭēt, lāmad, tāw) are especially tall. Mim and nun, in final forms, have very thin descenders. Only a few other features call for comment:

Example 3 - 17th-century manuscripts

Dohuk, DCD 2, f. 44r (dated 1680)

Gospel Lectionary - 1992 AG = 1680 CE, Dec 11

Dohuk, Chaldean Diocese, DCD 2, f. 44r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

ālapright leg with a thick dot at bottom, then very thin before attaching to the long top arm
top line angles upward
gāmalsublinear part very thin, ending in a large dot
dālat / rēšcurved at the bottom when joined on the right
very thin middle line, which reaches slightly below the line and angles to the left
wāwloop not closed
angle at top right
zayndoes not reach below the line
top part thick, coming to a point at the bottom
ḥētright vertical taller than left
yodfinal form ends in a straight line, not the comma type
kāpin final form, the letter curves back to the right at the top left sidedescender of final form very thin
mimloop not closed
descender of final form very thin
semkatpointed, or horned, on both loops
not joined to following letter
šintop line simply a straight bar

A careful, almost decorative hand, and very thick, with only a few very thin lines for contrast. Again we have a colophon in East Syriac.

Tell Kaif, QACCT 12, f. 41r (dated 1676)

Gospel Lectionary

Tell Kaif, Qalb Al-Aqdas Chaldean Church, QACCT 12, f. 41r. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

This hand is very similar to that of QACCT 11, from about a century earlier. There are no Serto-like features, and the letter-forms here are common formal or decorative Estrangela types. Descenders (or parts of them), as in sādē, final kāp, mim, and nun, are narrow. The ālap has a very thin leg on the right with a dot on the bottom.

Alqosh, DCA 5, f. 15v (dated 1679)

Gospel Lectionary - 1990 AG = 1679 CE, Oct. 12

Alqosh, Chaldean Diocese, DCA 5, f. 15v. All rights reserved. Image provided by HMML.

This manuscript shows writing very similar to the last few examples. Again we have a thick, stately hand with only a few very thin lines for contrast and no Serto-like features. The thin lines are in the right leg of the ālap (with a dot on the bottom), the center line of the hē, and in the descenders (or parts of them) of ṣādē and final kāp, mim, and nun. The spacing of the words is sometimes cramped.

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