Maria S. Thomas
@dekayra.bsky.social
Art historian, PhD candidate @VU Amsterdam
Medieval Syriac manuscripts, inscriptions, materiality, digital projects
Editor, Middle East @TheDigitalOrientalist
Medieval Syriac manuscripts, inscriptions, materiality, digital projects
Editor, Middle East @TheDigitalOrientalist
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
today’s the day!!
November 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
today’s the day!!
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
it’s officially book promo time! so, hey, i wrote this book; it comes out in a week! would you mind signal boosting and asking your library to buy it? if you’d like a copy, the code AUFLY30 will get you 30%off.
global.oup.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:44 AM
it’s officially book promo time! so, hey, i wrote this book; it comes out in a week! would you mind signal boosting and asking your library to buy it? if you’d like a copy, the code AUFLY30 will get you 30%off.
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Attend: A Short History of the Entanglement between Syriac and Armenian Christianities, lecture by Andy Hilkens, Princeton University, November 13, 2025, 4:30–6:00 PM maryjahariscenter.org/blog/a-short...
A Short History of the Entanglement between Syriac and Armenian Christianities | Mary Jaharis Center
maryjahariscenter.org
October 30, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Attend: A Short History of the Entanglement between Syriac and Armenian Christianities, lecture by Andy Hilkens, Princeton University, November 13, 2025, 4:30–6:00 PM maryjahariscenter.org/blog/a-short...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Later today (at 1pm CET): Chance Bonar (Virginia),
"Onesimus: Apostle and Martyr in Eastern Mediterranean Literature"
"Onesimus: Apostle and Martyr in Eastern Mediterranean Literature"
The online seminar of the GenAut Project is now live – open to all.
With @dekayra.bsky.social @angelnarro.bsky.social @chancebonar.bsky.social @janetspittler.bsky.social off Bsky, and others.
Do get in touch if you'd like to be added to our email list.
genaut.univie.ac.at?page_id=671
With @dekayra.bsky.social @angelnarro.bsky.social @chancebonar.bsky.social @janetspittler.bsky.social off Bsky, and others.
Do get in touch if you'd like to be added to our email list.
genaut.univie.ac.at?page_id=671
October 28, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Later today (at 1pm CET): Chance Bonar (Virginia),
"Onesimus: Apostle and Martyr in Eastern Mediterranean Literature"
"Onesimus: Apostle and Martyr in Eastern Mediterranean Literature"
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Since we mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living, I’m bumping my thread about how from my perspective as a former Junior Olympic level track runner, this “fairness” transphobia is fucking bullshit blacksky.community/profile/did:...
As a former child junior olympic-level runner, I have a few thoughts on the attacks on trans girls in sports. I ran for one of the most competitive teams in Southern California, and people who ran for my have gone on to become professional athletes. And these bans: they're fucking NONSENSE. 🧵
October 28, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Since we mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living, I’m bumping my thread about how from my perspective as a former Junior Olympic level track runner, this “fairness” transphobia is fucking bullshit blacksky.community/profile/did:...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
A reminder that we have no colloquium event this week! However, our affiliated program, the Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins, is holding a book event on Zoom with Prof. Ellen Muehlberger (Michigan) from 6:30–8:00 pm on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Details here:
rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/...
Details here:
rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/...
October 27, 2025 at 10:58 PM
A reminder that we have no colloquium event this week! However, our affiliated program, the Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins, is holding a book event on Zoom with Prof. Ellen Muehlberger (Michigan) from 6:30–8:00 pm on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Details here:
rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/...
Details here:
rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
🗣️ PLEASE SHARE 🗣️
I'm writing an intro & sourcebook on late ancient Gazan literature for Dar al-Kalima University Press. The press and I plan to produce an Arabic translation to make Gazan literature more accessible to Palestinians. Help me compensate the Gazan translator!
spot.fund/dn8t744sc
I'm writing an intro & sourcebook on late ancient Gazan literature for Dar al-Kalima University Press. The press and I plan to produce an Arabic translation to make Gazan literature more accessible to Palestinians. Help me compensate the Gazan translator!
spot.fund/dn8t744sc
Click here to support Chance Bonar's story *AncientGazanLitTranslation
*spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.
spot.fund
October 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
🗣️ PLEASE SHARE 🗣️
I'm writing an intro & sourcebook on late ancient Gazan literature for Dar al-Kalima University Press. The press and I plan to produce an Arabic translation to make Gazan literature more accessible to Palestinians. Help me compensate the Gazan translator!
spot.fund/dn8t744sc
I'm writing an intro & sourcebook on late ancient Gazan literature for Dar al-Kalima University Press. The press and I plan to produce an Arabic translation to make Gazan literature more accessible to Palestinians. Help me compensate the Gazan translator!
spot.fund/dn8t744sc
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
In today's post, Ephrem Aboud Ishac writes about using #AI to visually reconstruct and complete partially damaged or fragmented #Syriac manuscripts, exploring its benefits and the ethical obligations involved.
🔗 digitalorientalist.com/2025/10/21/s...
🔗 digitalorientalist.com/2025/10/21/s...
Syriac AI Manuscripts and Fragments: Reimagining Digitally the Damaged Past
The field of Syriac Digital Humanities continues to advance rapidly, moving from basic text recognition (as discussed in my previous posts on OCR/HTR, particularly our launch of the first public Sy…
digitalorientalist.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
In today's post, Ephrem Aboud Ishac writes about using #AI to visually reconstruct and complete partially damaged or fragmented #Syriac manuscripts, exploring its benefits and the ethical obligations involved.
🔗 digitalorientalist.com/2025/10/21/s...
🔗 digitalorientalist.com/2025/10/21/s...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
It’s hard to overstate how important these resources are!
Today I published a new section of my website with resources for those who wish to learn, study, and/or teach ancient languages using braille. It rests on work we did over the past year to expand screen reader access to these languages through the LibLouis library. Check it out and share around!
New: Braille Resources for Reading Ancient Languages
[Photo by me. Tactile graphic by Crystal Peng.] I recently created a new section of my website, which provides educational resources for anyone who wants to read ancient Middle Eastern and North …
www.blindscholar.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:20 PM
It’s hard to overstate how important these resources are!
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Mind-numbing how many layers of history there can be to a single manuscript page: Syriac upper text (10th c.), Armenian undertext (pre-10th c.), Arabic material used for binding (11-12th c.?), Coptic foliation in the margin (date?), modern foliation at the bottom. Image: Leiden UL Or. 14236, link ⬇️
October 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Mind-numbing how many layers of history there can be to a single manuscript page: Syriac upper text (10th c.), Armenian undertext (pre-10th c.), Arabic material used for binding (11-12th c.?), Coptic foliation in the margin (date?), modern foliation at the bottom. Image: Leiden UL Or. 14236, link ⬇️
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Next week!!!
We are excited to host Anna Ohanjayan (Yerevan State University / Matenadaran) who will be speaking next Thu 23 Oct (10 AM CET) about the Tōnapatchaṛ, a fascinating genre in Armenian literature!
If you're not yet on the mailing list, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social
If you're not yet on the mailing list, please register w/ @andyhilkens.bsky.social
October 17, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Next week!!!
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
God, Slavery, and Early Christianity is out in the real world with @universitypress.cambridge.org!
I have some extra, so retweet this by the end of Oct. 19 if you’re interested in receiving a copy!
Book info here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/g...
I have some extra, so retweet this by the end of Oct. 19 if you’re interested in receiving a copy!
Book info here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/g...
October 15, 2025 at 10:28 PM
God, Slavery, and Early Christianity is out in the real world with @universitypress.cambridge.org!
I have some extra, so retweet this by the end of Oct. 19 if you’re interested in receiving a copy!
Book info here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/g...
I have some extra, so retweet this by the end of Oct. 19 if you’re interested in receiving a copy!
Book info here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/g...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
A new #review on AJR! Briana Grenert writes about A Memory of Violence: Syriac Christianity and the Radicalization of Religious Difference in Late Antiquity by Christine Shepardson #lateantiquity #syriacstudies @ucpress.bsky.social www.ancientjewreview.com/read/2025/9/...
A Memory of Violence — ANCIENT JEW REVIEW
A Memory of Violence offers a useful overview for anyone interested in understanding Chalcedon and its effects at a more detailed level, as well as those interested in the history of Christianity…
www.ancientjewreview.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:05 PM
A new #review on AJR! Briana Grenert writes about A Memory of Violence: Syriac Christianity and the Radicalization of Religious Difference in Late Antiquity by Christine Shepardson #lateantiquity #syriacstudies @ucpress.bsky.social www.ancientjewreview.com/read/2025/9/...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
i didn't get to include the epigraph i wanted but i really wanted y'all to know that i'd picked the following from terry pratchett's _the wee free men_: "it didn't stop being magic just because you found out how it was done." (a good choice, right? but alas, permissions.)
my book_smoke & mirrors_ is out on oxford scholarship online. i have many feelings, mostly good! this was a difficult write for many reasons.
so i hope you find something useful in it if you read it.
so i hope you find something useful in it if you read it.
Smoke & Mirrors: Discourses of Magic in Early Petrine Traditions
Abstract. Smoke & Mirrors: Discourses of Magic in Early Petrine Traditions is a book about how magic disappears from early Christian texts that feature
academic.oup.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:08 PM
i didn't get to include the epigraph i wanted but i really wanted y'all to know that i'd picked the following from terry pratchett's _the wee free men_: "it didn't stop being magic just because you found out how it was done." (a good choice, right? but alas, permissions.)
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
My friend wrote an Element! and a *really* cool one: it's a guide to the Arabic and Persian sources on Rūs death rituals, including new translations of them*.
It's still free to download until 2nd October 2025 so get it now (and try not to forget about it...)
www.cambridge.org/core/books/d...
It's still free to download until 2nd October 2025 so get it now (and try not to forget about it...)
www.cambridge.org/core/books/d...
Death Rituals
Cambridge Core - Global History - Death Rituals
www.cambridge.org
September 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
My friend wrote an Element! and a *really* cool one: it's a guide to the Arabic and Persian sources on Rūs death rituals, including new translations of them*.
It's still free to download until 2nd October 2025 so get it now (and try not to forget about it...)
www.cambridge.org/core/books/d...
It's still free to download until 2nd October 2025 so get it now (and try not to forget about it...)
www.cambridge.org/core/books/d...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Later today, at 4pm CET:
Ángel Narro (València), "Thecla’s Increasing Authority from Early Christianity to Late Antiquity"
genaut.univie.ac.at/?page_id=671
Ángel Narro (València), "Thecla’s Increasing Authority from Early Christianity to Late Antiquity"
genaut.univie.ac.at/?page_id=671
September 10, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Later today, at 4pm CET:
Ángel Narro (València), "Thecla’s Increasing Authority from Early Christianity to Late Antiquity"
genaut.univie.ac.at/?page_id=671
Ángel Narro (València), "Thecla’s Increasing Authority from Early Christianity to Late Antiquity"
genaut.univie.ac.at/?page_id=671
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Thanks to Herman Teule, the Maurits Sabbe Library has recently acquired 11 new manuscripts in Syriac and Arabic, see theo.kuleuven.be/apps/press/t...
Treasures of Mardin: Manuscript Production, Ecclesiastical Secrets, and the Impact of Missionaries – Theology Research News
theo.kuleuven.be
July 9, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Thanks to Herman Teule, the Maurits Sabbe Library has recently acquired 11 new manuscripts in Syriac and Arabic, see theo.kuleuven.be/apps/press/t...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Exhibition of 15 Syriac manuscripts at KU Leuven on Thursday 11 September 2025 at 4 PM at the Maurits Sabbe Library in Leuven: "Treasures from the East: Syriac Manuscripts in the Collection of the Maurits Sabbe Library"
Registration: bib.kuleuven.be/msb/over/nie...
Registration: bib.kuleuven.be/msb/over/nie...
July 9, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Exhibition of 15 Syriac manuscripts at KU Leuven on Thursday 11 September 2025 at 4 PM at the Maurits Sabbe Library in Leuven: "Treasures from the East: Syriac Manuscripts in the Collection of the Maurits Sabbe Library"
Registration: bib.kuleuven.be/msb/over/nie...
Registration: bib.kuleuven.be/msb/over/nie...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
A lot of people have mentioned they loved the 'Want to Know More?' section of my book – basically an annotated bibliography but with a clear statement on citation ethics (shout out to Sara Ahmed) and a focus on *accessible* scholarship.
That means blogs, podcasts, books for a popular audience.
🧵
That means blogs, podcasts, books for a popular audience.
🧵
July 9, 2025 at 9:38 AM
A lot of people have mentioned they loved the 'Want to Know More?' section of my book – basically an annotated bibliography but with a clear statement on citation ethics (shout out to Sara Ahmed) and a focus on *accessible* scholarship.
That means blogs, podcasts, books for a popular audience.
🧵
That means blogs, podcasts, books for a popular audience.
🧵
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
An actionable way for classicists and ancient historians in particular to support Gazan students in this moment
We are almost there: let's do this!
"Because of your contributions so far, we have been able to cover tuition for 9 out of the 12 students. All students are deeply thankful for your help and are currently focused on completing their semester exams" @gmandreou.bsky.social
"Because of your contributions so far, we have been able to cover tuition for 9 out of the 12 students. All students are deeply thankful for your help and are currently focused on completing their semester exams" @gmandreou.bsky.social
Inviting all the classicists, archaeologists and historians who care about Palestinian colleagues/students/heritage to donate a little something to @gmandreou.bsky.social's fundraiser for Gazan students in archaeology and history: everydayorientalism.wordpress.com/2025/05/19/h...
July 9, 2025 at 1:37 AM
An actionable way for classicists and ancient historians in particular to support Gazan students in this moment
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
#Reminder! The deadline for our #cfa for new contributions, editors, and social media team members ends this Sunday (July 13)! Check out the details at the link below if you are interested in joining our team:
digitalorientalist.com/2025/06/03/c...
digitalorientalist.com/2025/06/03/c...
CFA: Join the DO Team 2025/26
The Digital Orientalist is pleased to announce its annual open call for editors, contributors, and team members for the 2025-2026 academic year. As we continue to expand our coverage, we seek …
digitalorientalist.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:19 AM
#Reminder! The deadline for our #cfa for new contributions, editors, and social media team members ends this Sunday (July 13)! Check out the details at the link below if you are interested in joining our team:
digitalorientalist.com/2025/06/03/c...
digitalorientalist.com/2025/06/03/c...
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
It's not too late to sign up for this summer Coptic course!
www.religiondepartment.com/coptic
Begins July 8th. Available Asynch. or Synch.
Lectures live Tuesdays at 10:00am Atlanta/EDT
(3:00pm London/BST, 4:00pm Amsterdam/Zurich/CEST, 5:00pm Cairo/EEST, and 12:00am July 9th Australia/AEST).
www.religiondepartment.com/coptic
Begins July 8th. Available Asynch. or Synch.
Lectures live Tuesdays at 10:00am Atlanta/EDT
(3:00pm London/BST, 4:00pm Amsterdam/Zurich/CEST, 5:00pm Cairo/EEST, and 12:00am July 9th Australia/AEST).
Learning Coptic Through the Gospel of Thomas
www.religiondepartment.com
July 6, 2025 at 9:21 AM
It's not too late to sign up for this summer Coptic course!
www.religiondepartment.com/coptic
Begins July 8th. Available Asynch. or Synch.
Lectures live Tuesdays at 10:00am Atlanta/EDT
(3:00pm London/BST, 4:00pm Amsterdam/Zurich/CEST, 5:00pm Cairo/EEST, and 12:00am July 9th Australia/AEST).
www.religiondepartment.com/coptic
Begins July 8th. Available Asynch. or Synch.
Lectures live Tuesdays at 10:00am Atlanta/EDT
(3:00pm London/BST, 4:00pm Amsterdam/Zurich/CEST, 5:00pm Cairo/EEST, and 12:00am July 9th Australia/AEST).
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
Reposted by Maria S. Thomas
