Lesson
Syriac Scripts - 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.
| ālap | serifless 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) |
| gāmal | taller 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 / rēš | Serto shape |
| hē | Serto shape |
| wāw | Serto shape |
| ḥēt | about the same height as yod |
| yod | when final and unattached to previous letter, not merely an angle, but has an extender to the right |
| kāp | round on top, but more pointed than earlier examples |
| mim | closed loop |
| semkat | joined to following letter |
| šin | the top part more a thick line than a bowl joined to the horizontal base |
| tāw | the 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.
| ālap | serifless on right leg left leg hangs below the line there is really no body to the letter when non-initial |
| gāmal | not much taller than ʿē hangs well below the line, ending in a dot |
| dālat / rēš | Serto shape |
| hē | Serto shape |
| wāw | Serto shape |
| ḥēt | noticeably taller than yod |
| yod | when final and unattached to previous letter, not merely an angle, but has an extender to the right |
| kāp | round on top, not as semi-pointed as some later examples when final, the descender is very thin |
| mim | when final, the descender is very thin |
| nun | when final, the descender is very thin |
| semkat | very unlike earlier Estrangela: the two loops almost unidentifiable as loops, with a resulting shape almost a small θ leaning about 45° to the left |
| šin | rather narrow top line |
| tāw | the 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.
| ālap | right leg has serif |
| gāmal | bottom of letter ends in a dot |
| dālat / rēš | thick top line |
| hē | center line touches neither left nor right line |
| wāw | unclosed loop, sharper on right |
| yod | both types of final: small angle and with left extender |
| kāp | the more pointed type final has a very thin descender |
| mim | unclosed loop when not final final has a very thin descender |
| ʿē | when 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.
| ālap | left leg often hanging especially low the straight line type of ālap rarely appears (cf. f. 28r, col. b, l. 13) |
| gāmal | dot at the bottom |
| dālat / rēš | the round Serto shape, hanging only slightly below the line |
| hē | closed loop on the left, as in Serto |
| wāw | perfectly round and closed |
| semkat | of the left-leaning θ type |
| tāw | has 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.
| ālap | serif on right leg does not sit below line, except when final |
| gāmal | lowest part of the letter ends in a dot |
| hē | the center line has a short, thin descender |
| wāw | unclosed loop |
| yod | final form is the angle type |
| kāp | the more pointed type |
| mim | unclosed when non-final |
| semkat | like the old shape, with taller left loop than right the loops are both rather pointed |
| ʿē | leftmost part of letter does not have a dot |
| tāw | rather 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.
| ālap | serif on right leg sits below line |
| bēt | rather narrow |
| gāmal | lowest part of the letter ends in a dot |
| yod | non-final type very short final type has left extender |
| kāp | more rounded than pointed |
| semkat | like the old shape, with taller left loop than right the left loop more pointed than the right |
| ʿē | initial form has no dot (cf. gāmal), but does have a small serif |
| sādē | top part at the line barely horizontal, more curvy |
| šin | top part rather straight |
| tāw | loop 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.
| ālap | serif on right leg sits below line |
| dālat / rēš | Serto shape |
| gāmal | lowest part ends in a dot |
| hē | Serto shape |
| wāw | Serto shape |
| ḥēt | taller than yod |
| kāp | relatively round on top, but with more of an angle than some others |
| mim | closed loop |
| semkat | angled θ type |
| ʿē | initial form has a serif |
| šin | top line curved at both ends |
| tāw | loop 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.
| ālap | a very thin leg on the right with a dot on the bottom |
| gāmal | dot on the bottom |
| yod | very small in final form |
| semkat | pointed 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.
| ālap | right leg with a thick dot at bottom, then very thin before attaching to the long top arm top line angles upward |
| gāmal | sublinear part very thin, ending in a large dot |
| dālat / rēš | curved at the bottom when joined on the right |
| hē | very thin middle line, which reaches slightly below the line and angles to the left |
| wāw | loop not closed angle at top right |
| zayn | does not reach below the line top part thick, coming to a point at the bottom |
| ḥēt | right vertical taller than left |
| yod | final form ends in a straight line, not the comma type |
| kāp | in final form, the letter curves back to the right at the top left side |
| mim | loop not closed descender of final form very thin |
| semkat | pointed, or horned, on both loops not joined to following letter |
| šin | top 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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