TEXTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FRAGMENTARY MANUSCRIPTS OF BIBLIOLOGICAL CONTENT AND STRUCTURAL RESEARCH OF THE MATERIAL

(On the basis of Korneli Kekelidze Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts)

Abstract

The research project "Codicological Analysis of Fragmented Manuscripts and Structural Research of Material" is implemented with the financial support of Shota Rustaveli national scientific foundation of Georgia (FR-19-7472, 2020-2023).

The chronological framework of the fragmentary manuscripts transcribed in the Georgian language is very broad. Their oldest samples are related to the beginnings of the Georgian writing tradition. The Georgian literary culture has been proven to start from the 5th century with "The Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik". It is the work that provides information that in the 5th century in Georgia there were already manuscripts containing the most important books of Christian teachings - the Bible, Psalms, Gospels, Paul's epistles and hagiographic works, which have not reached us in their complete form. The fact that the early manuscripts containing the complete texts of the Gospels and Psalms date by the 9th-10th centuries (Gospels of Adischi 897 y. Svan.- 478 (K 82 does not give us a reason to consider the above mentioned "The Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik" as a later interpolation^[1].

The article discusses the fragmentary manuscripts of the Korneli Kekelidze Georgian National Center of Manuscripts, their systemic-structural, textological-research was conducted, archeographic description was performed. The degree of damage to the fragments was determined and recommendations for preventive conservation were issued.

Keywords: Manuscript Fragments; Textology; Parchment; structure; Preventive Conservation;