Rural Literacy in 17th Century Transylvania.
The Case of Cluj-Mănăștur

Abstract:

In contrast to the more accepted term of urban literacy, the access to the written word of rural communities was seen as almost nonexistent in Romanian historiographical discourse. The few documents signed by peasants indicate that in the Principality of Transylvania there were some rural communities accustomed to communicate by using writing. This is the case of Cluj-Mănăștur community which, due to favourable circumstances, could manifest in written form in a period which no such cases are known for Transylvanian area.

Keywords:

literacy, rural communities, orality, Transylvania, 17th century