the moving word french medieval manuscripts in cambridge

The moving word french medieval manuscripts in cambridge skin#

Unlike what you may have thought, looking at imperfect skin is far more interesting than studying its perfect counterpart. It is of uneven thickness, and shows staining and a variety of colors (image below).

They feel like velvet and make a slight rustling sound when you turn the page-suspenseful whispers that teased the reader (image above). The best sheets have a deep-white color, with a hint of yellow. A scribe producing a book for his own library may be less attentive than one that worked in a monastic community. The quality of the page also had a lot to do with preparation. Paris Bible, The Hague, Royal Library, MS 132 F 21, mid 13th century Perfect SkinĪn example of high-quality parchment. We can still see these defects today, which appear as tiny holes, gaps or dark patches as we read Saint Jerome or Chaucer. Some cows loved to rub against trees while others were particularly prone to insect bites. Like people today, not all medieval creatures had perfect skin. The quality of parchment sheets varied considerably. Like a physician today, the book historian can make a diagnosis by observing it carefully.

There is a lot you can tell from medieval skin. Parchment was introduced in late antiquity, when the codex (a book made of double leaves), was born and started to replace the papyrus scroll. The skin of animals (calves, goats, sheep) was turned into parchment, which was subsequently cut into sheets. What was frolicking in the meadow one month, may have been a page in a Bible the next. Parchment (the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly)Ĭonstantinus Africanus, Liber Pantegni, 11th century, parchment, The Hague, Royal Library, MS 73 J 6 Parchmentįor much of the Middle Ages dead cows were the main ingredient for books.

The moving word french medieval manuscripts in cambridge