School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses
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ItemThe British Museum manuscript or 5034 of the Samaritan Defter: an introduction, and a critical edition of the earlier portion of the text( 1965)During the year 1896, the British Museum acquired a Samaritan liturgical manuscript which it designated OR 5034. It was a composite manuscript containing an early arrangement of the Defter, or Samaritan prayer book. At this time Sir Arthur Ernest Cowley had already seen a substantial portion of his critical edition of the Samaritan liturgy printed, and hence only a portion of the text of this manuscript was utilised in his edition. In an appendix he included the few hymns or portions of hymns not elsewhere extant. Moreover Cowley did not publish the text of any of the Qetafim contained in the various Defter manuscripts. He seems to have regarded them as catenas of quotations from the Pentateuch, whereas they probably represent the development of a lectionary system peculiar to the Samaritans. Such studies as have been made upon them stress their importance, both for the history of the liturgy and the development of Samaritan theology. In codex OR 5034 they are certainly of special value in these two aspects for this manuscript comes from an era before the reconciliation of the priestly and Dosithean parties. Different manuscripts vary in their selection of Qetafim, and these merit publication, even if for no other purpose than to indicate the actual form and content of the liturgy during the various periods from which the manuscripts originate. (From Preface)