Exploring Greek Manuscripts in the Gennadius Library, published in October in both Greek and English editions, marks the relaunch of the Gennadeion Monographs series. It is the first new volume in the series since the revised edition of Kevin Andrews’s Castles of the Morea (vol. IV) in 2006.

“A fitting testament to the wealth of the Gennadius manuscript collection, Exploring Greek Manuscripts showcases the wonderful intellectual rewards afforded by the exploration of the unique treasures of the Library,” Maria Georgopoulou, director of the Gennadius Library, said. “After a long hiatus, the rich, unpublished collections of the Gennadius Library are being showcased in a most beautiful manner.”

Edited by Maria Politi, president of the Greek Paleographical Society, and Eleni Pappa, a scholar at the Research Center for Greek and Latin Literature at the Academy of Athens, Exploring Greek Manuscripts in the Gennadius Library is the culmination of ideas fostered at a 2004 conference and exhibition.

Politi recalled that “the idea to organize a conference and exhibition of manuscripts had been proposed by some of the members of the Greek Paleographical Society in order to communicate to nonspecialists the idea that the contents of the manuscripts are not only the purview of scholars, they constitute part of our civilization, the same as books. We felt that it was somehow our duty to reveal the ‘hidden treasure’ in them.”

The Gennadius Library adopted the idea and co-organized the conference and exhibition with the Greek Paleographical Society.

“The collaboration between the two parties has been perfect, all the way through, and it remains so,” Politi explained. “The genesis of the book, in my opinion, is due to the success of both the conference and the exhibition, the run of which had to be extended. We felt that it would be a pity if the whole project were to stop there and be forgotten.”

At the conclusion of the exhibition, discussions began between the Greek Paleographical Society and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens about the publication of all of the exhibition’s texts in one volume, a representative selection of the Library’s vast collection of manuscripts ranging from the exquisite to the humble.

“The present book vividly illustrates the crucial role that the Gennadius Library and its collections play in the study of Hellenism during the Byzantine, post-Byzantine, and early modern periods,” Georgopoulou said.

Politi agreed. “We were very happy that our preferences coincided with those of Ioannis Gennadios, who was able to find traces of the Greek soul and civilization even in far-from-impressive items,” Politi stated, thinking of one example in particular. “If I must choose one [manuscript in the book], it would be the small and clumsy one, Κu 16, containing the Three Liturgies. I feel that the scribe worked with much devotion to God and the holy text he had to write, making an effort to offer his best. He managed to find his own style of writing and decoration.”

Politi reflected on the October publication of Exploring Greek Manuscripts in the Gennadius Library. “Certainly I feel extremely happy, holding in my hands the published book, the result of hard work of so many people.”

Georgopoulou concurred. “It gives me tremendous pleasure to hold in my hands this beautiful book published in Greek and in English. The erudition and scholarly breadth of this volume will surely spark new interest in the study of these manuscripts.”

“In fact,” she continued, “this first exploration of the Gennadeion’s manuscript collection has already spearheaded other activities within the library. A generous two-year grant from the Demos Foundation has funded an inventory and the electronic cataloguing of all Greek manuscripts in the Library. Sturdy foundations for further study of the Gennadeion manuscripts have been laid.”

The book’s arrival was celebrated at Cotsen Hall in Athens on October 11th with an evening of presentations on the Gennadeion’s collection of Greek Manuscripts. A videocast of the event is available here.

Exploring Greek Manuscripts in the Gennadius Library is published by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens in collaboration with the Greek Paleographical Society. Click the links below for information on how to purchase the book online. Greek copies are also available at Papadimas Books in Athens.

Exploring Greek Manuscripts in the Gennadius Library
Gennadeion Monographs VI
Published October 2011
144 pages
72 full-color plates
2 black-and-white figures

Greek: 978-9-60869-6075

English: 978-0-87661-407-5