What is a Manuscript?
Manuscripts were books that were written by hand
during the medieval
period.
Many manuscripts were produced during the medieval era (A.D. 500-1500).
Manuscripts were used before the invention of printing presses, which meant
that they were time consuming and very expensive to make.
Manuscripts were for the most part written parchment
or vellum, which were writing materials made from animal skins. People
called scribes were responsible for copying the
works of authors by hand.
Significance of Manuscripts
Manuscripts were very important aspects of medieval society. They
represented major religious, social, and artistic beliefs of the period.
Because manuscripts were very expensive to make, they often served as status
symbols. Most people who owned manuscripts held high-ranking positions
in society. The major themes of manuscripts were religion (particularly
Christianity), art, and literary characters.
How a Manuscript is Made
Parchment and Vellum
Parchment and Vellum are
terms that are often used interchangably. Parchment and vellum are
writing materials made from the skins of sheep, calves, or goats. They
have also been used for painting and occasionally for printing and bookbinding.
Vellum is a finer quality parchment. Parchment was eventually replaced
by paper.
Below are some of the steps that are involved in the process of making
parchment.
1) Soaking
2) Unhairing
3) Fleshing
4) Re-Liming
5) De-Liming
6) Stretching/Drying/Finishing
Paper
Paper is a thin sheet of material made from cellulose fibers. The
earliest known paper still around today was made about AD 150 out of rags
and fibers. Originally created by the Chinese, paper was introduced
into Japan in 610. Paper appeared in Egypt around 800 in the form
of papyrus. Paper differs from parchment because it is made from
plants, fibers, and wood pulp. Paper eventually replaced parchment
as the dominant form of writing material.
The Roles of Scribes
Scribes played the most important roles in the production of medieval manuscripts.
Before the invention of the printing press, scribes were people who copied
by hand the original works of authors into books. Scribes did not
live a life of leisure; instead, they took their work very seriously.
In fact, they were often punished if they neglected their duties.
Below are some skills that most medieval scribes possessed:
-
Knowledge of the Latin language
-
Excellent eyesight
-
Good penmanship
-
Ability to read the writing of the person's work that was
being copied
Scribes used quills made of goose feathers to write
their manuscripts. They also kept pen knives on hand to sharpen the
quills when they became dull.
Examples of Manuscripts
An example of a medieval manuscript.
Illuminated Manuscripts are manuscripts that have colorful
illustrations or pictures in them. They are not intended to convey
textual information from an author to the reader. Their primary function
is to serve as decoration which pays tribute to the subject of the book.
Often illuminated manuscripts honored God and other themes of Christianity.
Contributors
Josh McPherson......................................Web Page, research,
presentation
Andy Qureshi............................................Research, presentation
Sweta Patel.................................................Research, presentation
Garrett Patton............................................Research, presentation
Mari Powers...............................................Research, presentation
Bibliography
Back to Top
