A £2.4 million-pound project dedicated to studying ancient religious manuscripts has been announced, with Glasgow University professors taking part in the research.

The project, titled Paratexts Seeking Understanding is combining the talents of the university’s School of Critical Studies and the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, and is funded by the Templeton Religious Trust.

Theologian Dr Garrick Allen, project lead and a senior lecturer in Biblical Studies at Glasgow University, said: “We are delighted to begin this exciting interdisciplinary project and to work with world-leading experts in Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, the USA, and Australia.”

The sub-project is split between two cities with world-leading experts in different cultures to collaborate on research on the manuscript collection located in Dublin and work with the scientific team in Glasgow to carry out experimental studies.

Allen added: “This project allows us to look at ancient and medieval religious manuscripts in Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, and Samaritan traditions.

“The project helps us to better understand sacred manuscripts and to better understand how people engage with and learn from artwork more generally.”