Ginza – The „Holy Book“ of the Mandaeans. Edition, translation, commentary of the Left Ginza (ginza smala)

• Applicants: Dr. Bogdan Burtea; Professor Dr. Christoph Markschies
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 459623564

The project aims to prepare a critical edition with annotated translation of the Left Ginza. The Left Ginza is part of the Ginza (consisting of two parts, the "Left" and the "Right" Ginza). The edition of the Left Ginza is based upon all available manuscripts from the public libraries (Paris, Oxford, London, Leiden), two other manuscripts from a private collection (Nijmegen, Nederland) and an already published text. The critical edition will be published both digitally in open access through the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities as well as printed book.In the three years of research the following objectives will be accomplished: the preparation of a critical scholarly edition not only for scholars but also for the Mandaean community, the translation and the linguistic analysis of the text, the commentary of mythological motives and the highlighting of the religious and historical background of the text in the context of the Mandaean literature and also of other late antique sources (Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Gnosticism).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants