Biblia Arabica
Critical edition and comprehensive digital inventory of Arabic Old Testament manuscripts and their paratexts
The Biblia Arabica project is the first comprehensive study of Arabic translations of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament –– a central testimony to the shared cultural heritage of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities in the Near East. These translations document centuries of religious and linguistic interconnection, but are now in danger of being forgotten. Using state-of-the-art methods of digital humanities, the team will identify and describe around 8,200 manuscripts and make them digitally available through a selection of editions and English translations. They will also investigate historical contexts, translators, and usage traditions. The aim is to preserve this unique heritage, and make it visible and accessible worldwide –– as a historical reflection of pluralistic culture and a contribution to interreligious dialogue.
