Senior secondary school pupils from throughout the country have converged on Dunedin for the latest annual Hands-On at Otago event this week.
A dozen of them yesterday enjoyed "a taste of the medieval world" at the University of Otago central library.
Associate Prof Simone Marshall, of the department of English and linguistics, said pupils examined some of the university library’s collection of medieval manuscripts — a 15th-century Books of Hours, and Turkish and Arabic manuscripts.
"The students learned how to cut a calligraphy quill and to write with it, trying their hand at an age-old skill."
Pupils also learned how books were written and produced in the pre-print era, Prof Marshall said.
Korean-born SeoEun Park, a year 13 pupil, of Tauranga, said the gathering was "really cool" and she had enjoyed the calligraphy.
Yasmin Christian (16), of Mt Aspiring College, in Wanaka, said the gathering had been "incredibly helpful".
Event co-ordinator Ben Ahdar said Hands-On at Otago aimed to give school pupils a taste of university life and to encourage them to consider a future at Otago.
A total of 363 pupils from 167 schools were attending this year, including science pupils, 43 from a commerce background, and 112 humanities pupils.
