Tag Archives: Medieval Scribes

CSI: Manuscript Edition

Posted on March 28, 2014 by

By Ramona Venema Ramona Venema works as a research assistant in the Turning Over a New Leaf project. She maintains her own cookery blog. When I was a small Ramona, I wanted to be an archeologist. I love how history becomes … Continue reading →

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Historiated Initials: Letters with a Story to Tell!

Posted on March 21, 2014 by

By Jenny Weston Medieval initials come in all shapes and sizes. They also come with different kinds of decoration. While some feature twisty vines, flowers, and other abstract designs, others present more detailed and distinctive figures and scenes. Known as … Continue reading →

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Scribal Abuse in the Middle Ages

Posted on January 31, 2014 by

Today’s blog is a guest post from Thijs Porck, a lecturer in the Department of English Language and Culture, Universiteit Leiden. Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee bifalle  Boece or Troilus to wryten newe,        Under thy lokkes thou most have … Continue reading →

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Making a Medieval Book: Workshops and Classes for the Curious Artisan

Posted on August 9, 2013 by

By Jenny Weston As manuscript researchers, we often study how medieval books were produced. We love to look at the quality of the parchment, how the book was originally bound, the character of the script, and the beautiful decorations. It … Continue reading →

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Reading Medieval Script: Three (not-so) Easy Steps!

Posted on July 26, 2013 by

By Jenny Weston Medieval manuscripts are often beautiful to look at. With their strange letter-forms, their often gold-plated initials, and their aged parchment, they inevitably spark a sense of curiosity and awe. They can also be complex and mystifying. Almost … Continue reading →

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The Boring, Ugly, and Unimportant – Biases in Manuscript Research

Posted on July 12, 2013 by

By Jenneka Janzen As I carry out my dissertation research, I’ve spent some time thinking about the role aesthetics play in which manuscripts are studied, and which ones are deemed too boring, unimportant, or ugly to attract interest. Certainly, it … Continue reading →

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A Look at Last Week’s Medieval and Early Modern ‘Words, Words, Words’

Posted on June 3, 2013 by

By Jenneka Janzen It’s taken for granted that learning or working in another language requires some use of a bilingual dictionary. Our favourite online dictionary or translation app relies on established tradition and innovative technology in organizing and presenting information. … Continue reading →

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Making Books for Profit in Medieval Times

Posted on April 15, 2013 by

By Erik Kwakkel (@erik_kwakkel) The novelist L.P. Hartley once said that the past is like a foreign country: things are done different there. What I find most remarkable about the bookish slice of medieval society that I study is not … Continue reading →

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Listening to the Book: Medieval Music Manuscripts

Posted on February 8, 2013 by

By Jenny Weston As a researcher studying the reading habits of medieval monks, I spend a great deal of time pondering the ‘world of the monk’. While I usually focus on the books that the monks were reading, I cannot … Continue reading →

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Pondering the Physical Scriptorium

Posted on January 25, 2013 by

By Jenneka Janzen When meeting new people, sooner or later one is invariably asked “What do you do?” In my case, after providing my go-to brief description of Manuscript Studies, it is nearly always followed with “How did you get … Continue reading →

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