Peter Tarras
@petertarras.bsky.social
Postdoc @jacculturelmu.bsky.social | Blog: http://medisi.hypotheses.org | Book History | Manuscript Studies | Provenance | MENA Intellectual History | SciCom | #FirstGen
https://www.naher-osten.uni-muenchen.de/personen/wiss_ma/peter-tarras/index.html
https://www.naher-osten.uni-muenchen.de/personen/wiss_ma/peter-tarras/index.html
Reposted by Peter Tarras
I watched it, so you don't have to. The Carpenter's Son, an adaptation (of sorts) of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. www.apocryphicity.ca/2026/02/07/m...
Movie Review: The Carpenter’s Son (2025)
When I heard about The Carpenter’s Son, a film said to be based on the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, I was excited. This was going to be the culmination of my lif
www.apocryphicity.ca
February 7, 2026 at 12:11 PM
I watched it, so you don't have to. The Carpenter's Son, an adaptation (of sorts) of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. www.apocryphicity.ca/2026/02/07/m...
Reposted by Peter Tarras
#CatchOfTheDay
#OpenAccess on
#MENAdoc:
"Arabische Grammatik und Chrestomathie" by Johann David Michaelis
[Göttingen: Vandenhoek und Ruprecht, 1817]
dx.doi.org/10.25673/100...
#arabic #german #grammar #chrestomathy
#OpenAccess on
#MENAdoc:
"Arabische Grammatik und Chrestomathie" by Johann David Michaelis
[Göttingen: Vandenhoek und Ruprecht, 1817]
dx.doi.org/10.25673/100...
#arabic #german #grammar #chrestomathy
February 6, 2026 at 1:21 PM
#CatchOfTheDay
#OpenAccess on
#MENAdoc:
"Arabische Grammatik und Chrestomathie" by Johann David Michaelis
[Göttingen: Vandenhoek und Ruprecht, 1817]
dx.doi.org/10.25673/100...
#arabic #german #grammar #chrestomathy
#OpenAccess on
#MENAdoc:
"Arabische Grammatik und Chrestomathie" by Johann David Michaelis
[Göttingen: Vandenhoek und Ruprecht, 1817]
dx.doi.org/10.25673/100...
#arabic #german #grammar #chrestomathy
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Dr. Ani Shahinian, cataloger of #Armenian manuscripts at HMML, generously answered five questions to share insights into her experiences working with Armenian manuscript collections.
Learn more: hmml.org/stories/meet-dr-ani-shahinian
Learn more: hmml.org/stories/meet-dr-ani-shahinian
February 6, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Dr. Ani Shahinian, cataloger of #Armenian manuscripts at HMML, generously answered five questions to share insights into her experiences working with Armenian manuscript collections.
Learn more: hmml.org/stories/meet-dr-ani-shahinian
Learn more: hmml.org/stories/meet-dr-ani-shahinian
Reposted by Peter Tarras
A self-driving car
February 6, 2026 at 3:51 PM
A self-driving car
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Alright, one more blog post. Hot off the press.
The perils of paleographic dating: a few Aramaic examples from Arabia
My last post included a quote by Michael Macdonald that concluded: This text shows that different forms of the same letter within the Aramaic alphabet could be held in the memories of scribes, and …
bnuyaminim.wordpress.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Alright, one more blog post. Hot off the press.
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Here are a few medieval quotes that exemplify the narratives of Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic paleography: 🧵
February 6, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Here are a few medieval quotes that exemplify the narratives of Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic paleography: 🧵
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Latin: Whether it's New Roman Cursive or Visigothic or Gothic Quadrata or Aquinas' own handwriting, we start with the same fundamental question: "WTAF?" [this is Aquinas, in case you were wondering]
February 6, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Latin: Whether it's New Roman Cursive or Visigothic or Gothic Quadrata or Aquinas' own handwriting, we start with the same fundamental question: "WTAF?" [this is Aquinas, in case you were wondering]
Reposted by Peter Tarras
This is important on so many fronts but I just wanted to highlight one: we do find new texts from late antiquity even if rarely!
"A truly sensational find" made by my friend and colleague Adrian C. Pirtea 👀👇
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
medieval worlds • no. 23 • 2025
A truly sensational find is presented in volume 23 of Medieval Worlds: a newly discovered Christian world chronicle in Arabic, which Adrian C. Pirtea examines in a preliminary case study. We furthermo...
medievalworlds.net
February 6, 2026 at 4:27 PM
This is important on so many fronts but I just wanted to highlight one: we do find new texts from late antiquity even if rarely!
Old Georgian #WOTD:
უფსკრული (up'skruli)
"abyss"
from უ- (u-) "without" + ფსკერი (p'skeri) "bottom" + -ული (-uli) (adj.)
as in Gen. 1:2:
და ბნელი ზედა უფსკრულთა
(da bneli zeda up'skrulta)
"and darkness was over the abyss(es)"
უფსკრული (up'skruli)
"abyss"
from უ- (u-) "without" + ფსკერი (p'skeri) "bottom" + -ული (-uli) (adj.)
as in Gen. 1:2:
და ბნელი ზედა უფსკრულთა
(da bneli zeda up'skrulta)
"and darkness was over the abyss(es)"
February 6, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Old Georgian #WOTD:
უფსკრული (up'skruli)
"abyss"
from უ- (u-) "without" + ფსკერი (p'skeri) "bottom" + -ული (-uli) (adj.)
as in Gen. 1:2:
და ბნელი ზედა უფსკრულთა
(da bneli zeda up'skrulta)
"and darkness was over the abyss(es)"
უფსკრული (up'skruli)
"abyss"
from უ- (u-) "without" + ფსკერი (p'skeri) "bottom" + -ული (-uli) (adj.)
as in Gen. 1:2:
და ბნელი ზედა უფსკრულთა
(da bneli zeda up'skrulta)
"and darkness was over the abyss(es)"
Reposted by Peter Tarras
In this thrilling bonus episode, Sophie talks to @richove.bsky.social about how the Oxford’s Bodleian came to own the manuscript of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To see the manuscript, go to the Digital Bodleian: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/53fd...
@bodleian.ox.ac.uk #Frankenstein
@bodleian.ox.ac.uk #Frankenstein
February 6, 2026 at 8:02 AM
In this thrilling bonus episode, Sophie talks to @richove.bsky.social about how the Oxford’s Bodleian came to own the manuscript of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To see the manuscript, go to the Digital Bodleian: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/53fd...
@bodleian.ox.ac.uk #Frankenstein
@bodleian.ox.ac.uk #Frankenstein
Reposted by Peter Tarras
"A truly sensational find" made by my friend and colleague Adrian C. Pirtea 👀👇
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
medieval worlds • no. 23 • 2025
A truly sensational find is presented in volume 23 of Medieval Worlds: a newly discovered Christian world chronicle in Arabic, which Adrian C. Pirtea examines in a preliminary case study. We furthermo...
medievalworlds.net
February 5, 2026 at 10:33 AM
"A truly sensational find" made by my friend and colleague Adrian C. Pirtea 👀👇
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
Reposted by Peter Tarras
My friend Vevian Zaki @vevianzaki.bsky.social has started a blog called "Margins speak: Hidden voices from Christian Arabic manuscripts". Big bonus: Posts are in both English and Arabic. Check out Vevian's fascinating first post on a "thief blessing":
Reversing a Curse, Blessing a Thief
Ownership Notes in MS Sinai Arabic 441 In the library of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Sinai, Egypt rests a manuscript known as MS Sinai Arabic 441, which contains a collection of saints’ lives, h…
vevianzaki.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:57 PM
My friend Vevian Zaki @vevianzaki.bsky.social has started a blog called "Margins speak: Hidden voices from Christian Arabic manuscripts". Big bonus: Posts are in both English and Arabic. Check out Vevian's fascinating first post on a "thief blessing":
Reposted by Peter Tarras
There are many resources out there, for example:
olivia.science/ai from @olivia.science
docs.google.com/document/d/1... from @poisonivy47.bsky.social
and this thread bsky.app/profile/pete... by @petertarras.bsky.social
olivia.science/ai from @olivia.science
docs.google.com/document/d/1... from @poisonivy47.bsky.social
and this thread bsky.app/profile/pete... by @petertarras.bsky.social
February 6, 2026 at 11:42 AM
There are many resources out there, for example:
olivia.science/ai from @olivia.science
docs.google.com/document/d/1... from @poisonivy47.bsky.social
and this thread bsky.app/profile/pete... by @petertarras.bsky.social
olivia.science/ai from @olivia.science
docs.google.com/document/d/1... from @poisonivy47.bsky.social
and this thread bsky.app/profile/pete... by @petertarras.bsky.social
Reposted by Peter Tarras
AI technologies have been actively promoted in universities under the guise of efficiency, time optimization, and the fear of missing out or “falling behind.”
February 5, 2026 at 12:42 PM
AI technologies have been actively promoted in universities under the guise of efficiency, time optimization, and the fear of missing out or “falling behind.”
Reposted by Peter Tarras
CfP on a marvelous topic, imho, especially because I organise the conference myself (with Sébastien Moureau): "Verbositas Arabica, implicatio Graeca, paucitas Latina. Multilingual Text Traditions in the Middle Ages (8th–14th Century)" (20–22 Jan 2027). #medievalsky
hiw.kuleuven.be/dwmc/researc...
hiw.kuleuven.be/dwmc/researc...
February 6, 2026 at 10:16 AM
CfP on a marvelous topic, imho, especially because I organise the conference myself (with Sébastien Moureau): "Verbositas Arabica, implicatio Graeca, paucitas Latina. Multilingual Text Traditions in the Middle Ages (8th–14th Century)" (20–22 Jan 2027). #medievalsky
hiw.kuleuven.be/dwmc/researc...
hiw.kuleuven.be/dwmc/researc...
Reposted by Peter Tarras
A wonderful find of a new Syriac Chronicle covering the 7th century and much more. Arabic has treasures to share. All we have to do is go and look.
February 5, 2026 at 9:08 PM
A wonderful find of a new Syriac Chronicle covering the 7th century and much more. Arabic has treasures to share. All we have to do is go and look.
My friend Vevian Zaki @vevianzaki.bsky.social has started a blog called "Margins speak: Hidden voices from Christian Arabic manuscripts". Big bonus: Posts are in both English and Arabic. Check out Vevian's fascinating first post on a "thief blessing":
Reversing a Curse, Blessing a Thief
Ownership Notes in MS Sinai Arabic 441 In the library of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Sinai, Egypt rests a manuscript known as MS Sinai Arabic 441, which contains a collection of saints’ lives, h…
vevianzaki.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:57 PM
My friend Vevian Zaki @vevianzaki.bsky.social has started a blog called "Margins speak: Hidden voices from Christian Arabic manuscripts". Big bonus: Posts are in both English and Arabic. Check out Vevian's fascinating first post on a "thief blessing":
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Kürzungen an Hochschulen schaden allen:
➡️ #IchBinHanna, die dadurch Jobs verlieren (Solidarität mit allen Betroffenen!)
➡️ Studierenden: Betreuungsverhältnisse sind bereits schlecht, werden durch weniger Leute noch schlechter
➡️ Gesellschaft, da wir akademische Fachkräfte NOCH schlechter ausbilden
➡️ #IchBinHanna, die dadurch Jobs verlieren (Solidarität mit allen Betroffenen!)
➡️ Studierenden: Betreuungsverhältnisse sind bereits schlecht, werden durch weniger Leute noch schlechter
➡️ Gesellschaft, da wir akademische Fachkräfte NOCH schlechter ausbilden
February 5, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Kürzungen an Hochschulen schaden allen:
➡️ #IchBinHanna, die dadurch Jobs verlieren (Solidarität mit allen Betroffenen!)
➡️ Studierenden: Betreuungsverhältnisse sind bereits schlecht, werden durch weniger Leute noch schlechter
➡️ Gesellschaft, da wir akademische Fachkräfte NOCH schlechter ausbilden
➡️ #IchBinHanna, die dadurch Jobs verlieren (Solidarität mit allen Betroffenen!)
➡️ Studierenden: Betreuungsverhältnisse sind bereits schlecht, werden durch weniger Leute noch schlechter
➡️ Gesellschaft, da wir akademische Fachkräfte NOCH schlechter ausbilden
Reposted by Peter Tarras
The thing with everyone having a substack is not just that the market couldn’t work but you don’t want everything to be personality driven. You want a space for reporters not to be the story. Like how is the pipeline for expert commentators going to grow anyway?
February 5, 2026 at 11:49 AM
The thing with everyone having a substack is not just that the market couldn’t work but you don’t want everything to be personality driven. You want a space for reporters not to be the story. Like how is the pipeline for expert commentators going to grow anyway?
"A truly sensational find" made by my friend and colleague Adrian C. Pirtea 👀👇
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
medieval worlds • no. 23 • 2025
A truly sensational find is presented in volume 23 of Medieval Worlds: a newly discovered Christian world chronicle in Arabic, which Adrian C. Pirtea examines in a preliminary case study. We furthermo...
medievalworlds.net
February 5, 2026 at 10:33 AM
"A truly sensational find" made by my friend and colleague Adrian C. Pirtea 👀👇
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
#Syriac
#ChristianArabic
#ChristianEast
Auch wenn ich hoffe, dass keine #WissKomm mehr auf X/Twitter stattfindet (ich weiß es schlicht nicht), ist die Debatte um die öffentliche Wahrnehmung der Plattform sehr wichtig. Ich sammle hier Beiträge im 🧵
February 5, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Auch wenn ich hoffe, dass keine #WissKomm mehr auf X/Twitter stattfindet (ich weiß es schlicht nicht), ist die Debatte um die öffentliche Wahrnehmung der Plattform sehr wichtig. Ich sammle hier Beiträge im 🧵
Reposted by Peter Tarras
So my translations of al-Dani's Taysir is out! So what is this text about?
It is a description of seven canonical reading traditions of the Quran authored by the Andalusi polymath ʾAbū ʿAmr ʿUṯmān b. Saʿīd al-Dānī (371/981–444/1053).
It is a description of seven canonical reading traditions of the Quran authored by the Andalusi polymath ʾAbū ʿAmr ʿUṯmān b. Saʿīd al-Dānī (371/981–444/1053).
February 4, 2026 at 7:53 PM
So my translations of al-Dani's Taysir is out! So what is this text about?
It is a description of seven canonical reading traditions of the Quran authored by the Andalusi polymath ʾAbū ʿAmr ʿUṯmān b. Saʿīd al-Dānī (371/981–444/1053).
It is a description of seven canonical reading traditions of the Quran authored by the Andalusi polymath ʾAbū ʿAmr ʿUṯmān b. Saʿīd al-Dānī (371/981–444/1053).
Reposted by Peter Tarras
Guess who is once again displaying their ability to hyperfocus on being a hater?
It's me, I spent all evening writing my own compilation of all the reasons I think AI sucks so I can post it under genAI-made FB posts.
Work-in-progress, suggestions welcome!
www.skwinnicki.com/single-post/...
It's me, I spent all evening writing my own compilation of all the reasons I think AI sucks so I can post it under genAI-made FB posts.
Work-in-progress, suggestions welcome!
www.skwinnicki.com/single-post/...
February 5, 2026 at 3:32 AM
Guess who is once again displaying their ability to hyperfocus on being a hater?
It's me, I spent all evening writing my own compilation of all the reasons I think AI sucks so I can post it under genAI-made FB posts.
Work-in-progress, suggestions welcome!
www.skwinnicki.com/single-post/...
It's me, I spent all evening writing my own compilation of all the reasons I think AI sucks so I can post it under genAI-made FB posts.
Work-in-progress, suggestions welcome!
www.skwinnicki.com/single-post/...
Reposted by Peter Tarras
I made this 19 page list of resources for questioning AI because I was so frustrated by this dynamic, the tipping point for me was an admin saying that people who were questioning the push for AI were being "emotional": docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Questioning AI Resource List
Excellent summary of major problems with companies’ focus on AI written by expert in machine learning: https://ludic.mataroa.blog/blog/i-will-fucking-piledrive-you-if-you-mention-ai-again/ Another g...
docs.google.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:27 PM
I made this 19 page list of resources for questioning AI because I was so frustrated by this dynamic, the tipping point for me was an admin saying that people who were questioning the push for AI were being "emotional": docs.google.com/document/d/1...