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Vista at the 2025 ICMS. Photograph by David W. Sorenson.<\/p><\/div>\n
With the successful completion of our RGME activities at the 2025 International Congress on Medieval Studies<\/a>, we offer a Report<\/strong>. For information about the Congress more generally:<\/p>\n The RGME activities at the 2025 Congress came into being in stages, according with the timetable for preparations for the annual ICMS from one year to the next.<\/p>\n 1) First, as an Annual Congress takes place (for example, see our 2024 International Congress on Medieval Studies Report<\/a>), we begin to confer about plans for the next year. We do so among ourselves and with current or potential co-sponsoring organizations who also make plans. At each Congress, our Open Business Meeting<\/a> provides a gathering point to confer, share ideas, and spread the word to generate interest and find collaborators.<\/p>\n 2) After designing the proposed sessions, we submit them by 30 May to the Congress Committee for approval, and then issue the Call for Papers<\/a>, with the deadline of 15 September.<\/p>\n 3) After the close of the CFP, selecting among the proposals received, we design the Program for each Session, with its Organizer or Co-Organizers, Presider, Speakers, and perhaps also a Respondent. In some years, as with 2025, our initial proposal can identify a subject for two sessions, Parts I and II.\u00a0 In some years, as with 2025, the strength and number of responses to the Call for Papers can lead us to seek, in some cases, two sessions (Parts I and II<\/strong>) in place of the one which we had proposed.<\/p>\n 4) When ready, the Programs for our Sessions \u2014 presenters, sequence of papers, response(s) if included \u2014 are sent to the Congress Committee by 15 October for review and approval. That is the time also for booking our Open Business Meeting<\/strong> at the Congress and, in some years, a Reception<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 5) In due course, the program of the Congress in full is set into place, as the Committee determines its order to announce it. Thus we can learn the date-, time-, and room-assignments of our set of activities.<\/p>\n 6) Our custom is to announce our activities for a given Congress on our website, in a HomePage<\/strong> of its own, like the one for the 2025 Congress<\/a>. The HomePage serves as an information center, with updates as appropriate, such as when the Congress approaches and there might be changes such as in the room assignment or details of the program for a given session.<\/p>\n 7) From the HomePage are launched the Abstracts for Papers<\/strong>, as the speakers might allow.\u00a0 Note that the Abstracts are indexed, for convenience, in two ways:<\/p>\n Venue at the 2025 ICMS. Photograph by David W. Sorenson.<\/p><\/div>\n 8) On site, as the Congress takes place, our activities unfold in their sequence as listed in the Program or adapted through changes. For 2025, our activities comprised the sponsored and co-sponsored Sessions of Papers<\/strong>; and our Annual Open Business Meeting at the Congress<\/strong>.\u00a0 The line-up by the time of the Congress:<\/p>\n All these events were successfully accomplished, with some adaptations within them as required. Hybrid sessions recorded by the Congress were available for viewing afterward by Congress registrants, for an assigned period.<\/p>\n 9) Afterward, comparing notes and gathering photographs taken at the time, we produce the Report<\/strong>.<\/p>\n ********************<\/p>\n Los Angeles, Getty Center, Ms. Ludwig XV 7 (83.MR.177), fol. 1. Scipio and Guillaume de Loris Lying in Their Beds Dreaming. Image Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.<\/p><\/div>\n Building upon our successful activities at the 2024 ICMS (see our 2024 International Congress on Medieval Studies Report<\/a>), we prepared for the 2025 ICMS. First we proposed a set of sessions, sponsored and co-sponsored. Then, when they had been accepted by the Congress Committee, we issued the Call for Papers<\/a><\/strong> (CFP<\/strong>) for our proposed Sessions. The strength and number of the responses by the due date (15 September 2024) led us to seek, in some cases, two sessions in place of the one which we had proposed.<\/p>\n With the Congress Program set into place or revised, we presented the Program of our activities, both sponsored and co-sponsored.\u00a0We give thanks to our organizers, co-organizers, presenters, respondents, advisors, co-sponsors, participants, and audience both in-person and online, and to the Congress, its staff, and its co-ordination.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n RGME Activities at the 2025 Congress comprised:<\/p>\n Societas Magica logo<\/p><\/div>\n Four S<\/span>essions were our own.\u00a0 Our co-sponsors for ICMS Sessions in 2025 were:<\/p>\n Among our co-sponsorships for the Congress over the years, 2025 marks<\/p>\n Year 21 of our co-sponsorship with the Societas Magica<\/strong>, Also, the Session co-sponsored with Postal History at Kalamazoo<\/strong> continues the tradition of our long-term series of RGME Sessions at the ICMS on “Medieval Writing Materials”<\/strong>, which began in 2014.\u00a0 See, for example,<\/p>\n The activities unfolded in their scheduled sequence across the three days of the Congress.<\/p>\n Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University, Houghton Library, MS Typ 7. Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, Comentum Macrobii Ambrosii in somnium Scipionis. Dated 1469 Feb. 7. Image Public Domain via https:\/\/houghtonlib.tumblr.com\/post\/146944005911\/macrobius-ambrosius-aurelius-theodosius-comentum.<\/p><\/div>\n Session 17 (Congress Program Booklet page 7) Organized by Speakers<\/strong> Leigh Ann Craig<\/strong> (Virginia Commonwealth University) Meghri Doumanian<\/strong> (McGill University) Notebook of “Recettes” in French, open at the front with inserted slips. Photography from Private Collection by Mildred Budny. Handlist Number 5.<\/p><\/div>\n Research Group on Manuscript Evidence Registration for this Meeting by the RGME Eventbrite Portal<\/a> for in-person and online attendance allowed us to know how many people to expect for the Meeting and to arrange the catering appropriately.<\/p>\n The one-page combined Agenda & Annual Report<\/strong> for this Meeting is available for download on our website as both announcement and record of our accomplishments for 2024\u20132o25, goals, and future plans.<\/p>\n London, British Library, Harley MS 4431, fol. 4r.Christine de Pisan sits at work writing in an interior accompanied by a dog. France (Paris), c. 1410 \u2013 c. 1414. Image via https:\/\/blogs.bl.uk\/digitisedmanuscripts\/2013\/06\/christine-de-pizan-and-the-book-of-the-queen.html.<\/p><\/div>\n Session 63 (Congress Program Booklet, page 22) Organized by Speakers Marisa Rose Bordonarou<\/strong> (Western University) Jacob Lollar<\/strong> (Durham University) Faremeh Shahnavaz<\/strong> (Western University) [This paper was not presented<\/em>. Shortly before the Congress, Faremeh withdrew her paper<\/em>.]<\/p>\n Paris, Biblioth\u00e8que nationale de France, D\u00e9partement des Manuscrits. Fran\u00e7ais 835, fol. 1r. Opening of collection of texts by Christine de Pizan. Image via https:\/\/gallica.bnf.fr\/ark:\/12148\/btv1b8449047c\/f9.item.<\/p><\/div>\n Organizers<\/em>: Session 117 (Congress Program Booklet, page 41) Speakers Gal Sofer Respondent Halle (Saale), Universit\u00e4ts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt, 14 B 36, fol. 243r: Image image of the almadel or “table of spirits”. Astro-magical texts on paper, circa 1400. Image C.C. BY 4.0, via http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.25673\/33754.<\/p><\/div>\n Session 165 (Congress Booklet, page 60) Speakers Rosario Cornejo<\/strong> (University of Virginia) Agata Paluch<\/strong> (Frei Universit\u00e4t Berlin) Matthew Melvin\u2013Koushki Session 224 (Conference Program Booklet, page 79) Organized by Speakers<\/strong>\n
Building Blocks<\/h2>\n
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RGME @ 2025 ICMS<\/h1>\n
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\nYear 4 with P.O.M.o.N.A.<\/strong>, and
\nYear 2 with\u00a0 Postal History at Kalamazoo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n
2025 RGME Activities<\/h1>\n
\n
\nTwo sessions plus our Annual Open Business Meeting, for which lunch was provided<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Two sessions<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Four sessions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/manuscriptevidence.org\/wpme\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tumblr_o7ri6qoY2M1s83h8do2_1280-215x300.jpg\")
1. “Dream Books, Spells, Divination,
\nIncubation, and Interpretation:
\n‘Sandalphon, send me a dream’ “<\/strong><\/h2>\nCo-Sponsored with the Societas Magica<\/a>
\nand
\nPolytheistic-Oriented Medievalists of North America<\/strong>
\n(P.-O.M.o.N.A.)<\/h3>\n
\nThursday 8 May 2025
\n10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
\nSangren Hall, 3130
\n<\/strong>(hybrid)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nMildred Budny<\/strong> (Research Group on Manuscript Evidence)
\nPhillip Bernhardt\u2013House<\/strong> (Polytheistic-Oriented Medievalists of North America)
\nClaire Fanger<\/strong> (Rice University)<\/p>\n
\nPhillip Bernhardt\u2013House
\n<\/strong>“Incubation, Inspiration, Incantation, or Intervention?
\nThe Imbas Forosnai<\/em> Ritual in Sanas Cormaic<\/em> as Dream Divinatory Operation”<\/p>\n\n
\n” ‘The very same ears were thrown away’:
\nDemons, Diagnostics, and Dream Interpretation in a Thirteenth-Century Miracle Story”<\/p>\n\n
\n“Dreams, Anxieties, Magic, and Liturgical Healing in Armenian and Judeo-Arabic Cultures:
\nThe Examples of the Erazahan<\/em> and the Sefer Pitron Halomot<\/em>”<\/p>\n\n
2. Lunchtime Open Business Meeting (with lunch provided)<\/h2>\n
Sponsored by the RGME<\/h3>\n
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\nOpen Business Meeting<\/strong>
\nThursday 8 May 2025
\n12:00 PM – 1:30 PM, Student Center, 2207
\n<\/strong>Lunch was provided through a donation
\n<\/strong>(hybrid)<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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3. “Women and Manuscripts:
\nQuestions of Authorship”<\/strong><\/h2>\nSession
\nSponsored by the RGME<\/h3>\n
\nThursday 8 May 2025
\n1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, Sangren, 3130
\n<\/strong>(hybrid) <\/span><\/p>\n
\nJaclyn A. Reed<\/strong> (Research Group on Manuscript Evidence)<\/p>\n
\nLisa Templin<\/strong> (Mount St. Vincent University)
\n” ‘Not soe good as common’:
\nThe Eroticization of the Female Voice in the Margins of
\nRachel Speght’s A Mouzell for Melastomas<\/em>”<\/p>\n\n
\n“For the General Good of My Country:
\nSugar as a Transcorporeal Means of Liberation and Colonial Subjugation
\nin Hannah Wooley’s The Queen-Like Closet<\/em>”<\/p>\n\n
\n“For the Praise and Glory of the Glorious Woman:
\nWomen in Syriac Manuscripts and Book Culture, and the Attempts to Erase Them”<\/p>\n\n
\n“Penning with Paint:
\nRedefining Female Authorship through Lady Anne Clifford’s Visual Autobiography”<\/p>\n\n
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4\u20135. “Grimoires of the Greater West”
\n(Parts 1\u20132)<\/strong><\/h2>\nSessions
\nCo-sponsored with the Societas Magica<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nVajra Regan<\/strong> (Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto)
\nGal Sofer<\/strong> (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)
\nMatthew Melvin-Koushki<\/strong> (University of South Carolina)<\/p>\n(1) “Multicultural Solomonic Magic:
\nThe Case of the Almandal”<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nSangren Hall 4520
\nThursday 8 May 2025
\n3:30\u20135:00 pm EDT
\n(in-person)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nVajra Regan
\n<\/strong>“The Liber Almandal<\/em> of Solomon ans Its Christian Elaborations:
\nNew Evidence from the Manuscripts”<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>“Al-Mandal<\/em>:
\nMulticultural Magic and the Quest for an Urtext”<\/p>\n\n
\nDavid Porreca<\/strong> (University of Waterloo)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/manuscriptevidence.org\/wpme\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Handschrift-14-B-36_Scan00243-759x1024.jpg\")
(2) “From Arabic and Persian to Hebrew and Latin”<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nSangren Hall 3130
\nFriday 10:00\u201311:30 am EDT
\n(hybrid)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nMichael Noble<\/strong> (Exeter University)
\n“The Hidden Secret of Fakhr al-Din R\u00e3z\u012b:
\nTheurgy as Pre-Mongol Cosmocracy”<\/p>\n\n
\n“Interpreting Repetition and Variation in the Picatrix<\/em> and the Lapidario<\/em>”<\/p>\n\n
\n“Theosophical and Practical Knowledge in European Jewish Grimoires”<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>“Occult Democracy in Persian Grimoires”<\/p>\n\n
6. “Moving the Mail:
\nLetters, Couriers, and Post Offices in the Medieval<\/span> World”<\/strong><\/h2>\nSession
\nCo-Sponsored with Postal History at Kalamazoo<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nFriday 9 May 2025
\n1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, Sangren, 4540
\n<\/strong>(In person)<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nDavid W. Sorenson<\/strong> (Allan G. Berman, Numismatist)<\/p>\n
\nRalph W. Mathiesen<\/strong> (University of Illinois \u2013 Urbana\u2013Champaign)
\n“Institutionalized Mail Delivery Networks in Early Medieval Europe from the Fourth to Seventh Century”<\/p>\n
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