The College of Languages and the Iraqi Manuscripts House Celebrate Mandaean Heritage in a Specialised Scholarly Lecture
In a collaborative initiative, the Iraqi House of Manuscripts and the College of Languages at the University of Baghdad organised a specialised scholarly lecture entitled “Mandaean Manuscripts.” The event featured contributions from Professor Baha Amer Aboud and Assistant Professor Ashwaq Nusrat Jasim, both faculty members in the Department of Syriac Language.
The lecture aimed to acquaint the Manuscripts House staff members with the various types of Mandaean manuscripts and the methods employed in their archiving, while highlighting their significance as an integral part of Mesopotamia’s ancient linguistic and religious heritage. The session offered a detailed exposition on these manuscripts’ nature and diverse religious and intellectual content. It also showcased additional aspects of Mandaean heritage, such as incantation bowls and lead rolls, inscribed in the ancient Mandaic script.
Rich academic discussions and numerous attendees’ interventions punctuated the lecture, reflecting a keen interest in the subject. These interactions culminated in
a preliminary agreement to organise a series of future specialised lectures in this vital field. Attendees were also introduced to the types of Mandaean manuscripts housed within the collections of the Iraqi Museum, accompanied by explanations of the techniques used to read, preserve, and archive them.
Moreover, the audience had the rare opportunity to closely examine a selection of precious Mandaean manuscripts preserved by the House and demonstrations of modern restoration techniques and the digital archiving mechanisms currently employed to safeguard them.
