Medieval Manuscripts
Medieval Manuscripts 
The Medieval Period,
or Middle Ages, was so named by later historians to account for the thousand-year
span between the fall of Rome and the revival of classical learning in
the 15th century. During this time, art was under the exclusive patronage
of the Church, with the clergy in control of the forms and iconography.
Medieval society witnessed the rise of monasticism and feudalism, as well
as the emergence of national monarchies.
The monastic
movement kept the torch of knowledge alight by copying ancient books and
establishing libraries and schools.
The largest and grandest of all the monasteries was the abbey at Cluny.
Important
Terms
scribe
- a person who serves as a pen man or copyist, especially one
who in former times made copies of manuscripts. Scribes, mostly monks,
made possible the preservation of and access to important documents.
They were primarily involved in copying and often illustrating important
church texts and documents. They also used to assist in secular transactions,
both business and legal. Scribes had to memorize more than 700 symbols
and know their meanings.
Interesting
Links of Interest
