This two-week placement will offer a student the opportunity to evaluate the Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant Bible collection, providing a considered view for which further research should be focussed – particularly in relation to understanding the collection and its emotional connection to Tŷ Mawr.
The placement will be split between north Wales (where accommodation will be provided) and remote working. A bursary to cover reasonable travel and subsistence during the placement week will be provided.
About the collection you’ll be researching:
The centrepiece of our collection is an original 1588 copy of the Bishop William Morgan full Bible translation in Welsh. Although some further Bibles have been pursued, the collection by now of over 300+ Bibles in over 100 different languages from all corners of the globe has grown organically – almost entirely through donations by those who have visited since Tŷ Mawr was opened in 1988.
What enriches the collection in many ways are the notes and letters that have been included from the donors of Bibles; they speak of a connection to the place, and to the story of the Welsh language, its survival, how it thrived now that it could be spoken in Chapels and Churches, and how we can easily trace our standard Welsh used in its current form to that of the work William Morgan accomplished. The notes make reference to a wide range of themes, but one above all relates to the basic fact that it is the Bible that has been most commonly used as a form in which a local language is available to the people.
Research questions you'll be exploring:
- How does the collection compare to known religious book collections elsewhere?
- It is clear from letters/notes included with several of the donated Bibles that something resonated deeply with the donors; how can we effectively describe and interpret this?
- Where should further research be focussed?
Outputs:
The primary output should be that we are presented with a clearer understanding of relevance and significance, and a platform from which to build further studies. More specifically:
- An academic approach to building a clearer understanding of the Bible collection
- An understanding of the significance of the collection to Tŷ Mawr and in relation to other religious book collections
Providing a logical roadmap for deepening the research of the collection around connection (how a place can connect people and passions in the context of languages). This work will provide a critical foundation from which we can build further understanding through research.
The two-week placement can take place anytime between 1 September - 31 October, 2023.
For further details, including salary and how to apply, see:
https://oxford.targetconnect.net/leap/jobs.html?id=141926&service=Careers%20Service
Application deadline
31 July 2023 GMT
