The Syriac and Arabic manuscripts of Ahiqar. Edition and analysis of the history of text and motifs

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Bela Gipp, since 1/2024; Professor Dr. Reinhard Gregor Kratz
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology ; Data Management, Data-Intensive Systems, Computer Science Methods in Business Informatics ; Islamic Studies, Arabian Studies, Semitic Studies
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 393494392

The aim of the proposed project is to edit the Syriac and Arabic manuscripts of the Ahiqar tradition newly discovered in the course of the first project phase and not yet included, which considerably broadens the basis of the tradition, and to make them accessible in TEI as well as to sustainably complete the IT infrastructure developed. In so doing, the complete material will be made available to the public for further scholarly treatment of the material and the digital indexing and application possibilities will be optimized according to scientific requirements. Alongside the additional manuscripts and digital applications, the project will provide new insights into the relationship of the Syriac and Arabic textual witnesses, the original scope and arrangement of the proverbs and parables, as well as the reception history, and will prepare them for scholars from various disciplines (Arabic, Aramaic, Syriac, and Semitic studies, theology, literary, and folklore studies) in a research-oriented and sustainable manner. The accessibility of the collected results is ensured by the digital publication as well as by the print edition. Publishing a print version alongside a digital edition provides flexibility because the digital edition places textual witnesses in equal relation to one another, while the print edition provides placement according to the leading manuscript principle.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Sebastian Günther
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Wolfram Horstmann, until 1/2024