The Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) at the University of Hamburg is dedicated to researching the history of writing across disciplinary, linguistic, and epochal boundaries. Our temporal horizon ranges from antiquity to the digital present. The approach is global: We examine written artefacts from all cultures that have produced them, placing particular emphasis on previously little explored manuscript cultures of Africa and Asia.

This comprehensive and holistic research approach requires the collaboration of numerous disciplines: alongside a variety of ‘small fields’ within the humanities, the natural and computer sciences play a central role. As many written artefacts belong to the world’s cultural heritage and often may not be transported, we are developing innovative, non-destructive and mobile methods to study sensitive objects directly on site at museums, libraries, and archives worldwide. The knowledge gained in this way makes a long-term contribution to the preservation of irreplaceable cultural assets.

Our aim is to develop a global analytical framework that makes visible the similarities and differences among the diverse manuscript cultures. A deeper understanding of historical developments, connections, and mutual influences between these cultures also helps to shed light on writing and its significance in our own time.

Involved Institutions:

• Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
• Hamburg University of Technology