Ancient and Medieval Manuscript Leaves collection

The Ancient and Medieval Manuscript Leaves collection contains leaves from a variety of primarily religious texts in multiple languages. Most of the leaves are vellum; however, a few of the leaves are paper. The collection demonstrates a variety of medieval texts, languages, inks, and artistic styles. This particular collection is an excellent teaching tool for many classes in the humanities.

This Egyptian papyrus fragment from the Book of the Dead is written in Hieratic and is from the Ptolemaic period (323 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E.). Hieratic is always written from right to left.  It is a portion of a roll formerly owned by Reverend W. Frankland Hood and later by William Randolph Hearst. 75mmX140mm.

Latin (gothic script) handwritten in black ink on vellum. Chapter headings and initials are written in blue and red ink. Prickings, ruling, and errata are visible on the vellum. The large, decorated initial “P” resembles that of French Cistercian manuscripts. 2 columns, 60 lines per column, 225mmX326mm.

Latin (small gothic bookhand) handwritten in brown ink on vellum. Flourished initials in blue and red ink. Chapter headings written in red and blue ink. Ruling and skin pores visible on the vellum. 2 columns, 50 lines per column, 143mmX200mm.

From the Winchester School of Illumination. Latin (gothic script) handwritten in brown ink on vellum. Chapter headings are written in blue and red ink. Zoomorphic initial with a pelican in the center of the gilt “O.” The pelican is an allegorical symbol, as it would strike its breast to feed its young with its blood to prevent starvation. Blue and pink vines and leaves stem from the zoomorphic initial. Prickings and ruling are visible on the vellum. 2 columns, 22 lines per column, 300mmX450mm.

Byzantine musical notation written in black and red ink on paper. Greek is written in black and red ink under the musical notation. Three red decorated initials are present. Blind ruling is visible on the paper. 1 column, 11 lines on the verso and 12 lines on the recto, 140mmX203mm.

Special thanks to Dr. Diane Touliatos from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Professor Maria Mavroudi from Berkeley for accurately identifying this leaf and providing the following information:

This leaf contains hymns on the translation of relics of St John Chrysostom (feast day is January 27) and Gregory the Theologian (aka Gregory of Nazianzus), whose individual feast day is January 25. This must be a leaf out of a hymnographic collection on January (because the rubric John Chrysostom says "during the same month on the twenty-seventh [is] the translation of relics of our father among the saints John, archbishop of Constantinople, the Chrysostom (Gold-mouthed)" (Mavroudi).

“The composition is dated c. late 13th-14th century and it is written in the Authentic Mode I. The Byzantine text begins with the incipit (English translation: "The Lyre of the Holy Spirit.") This is a famous sticheron (chant verse) celebrated on January 25th for the memory of Gregory the Theologian. The earliest example of this chant has been attributed to the hymnographer named Germanos from the 9th century. This name is not indicated in the example I reviewed but it was also quite common to have other later composers write their version with changes and additions to the original composition” (Touliatos).

Latin (gothic script) handwritten in brown ink on vellum. Ruling and rubrication are visible on the vellum. There are six floriated initials all gilt with blue, pink, and red ink. This suffrage was probably read during Matins. 2 columns, 30 lines per column, 127mmX175mm.

Latin (gothic script) handwritten in black ink on vellum. Chapter headings and two decorated initials written in blue and red ink. Rubrication and ruling visible on the vellum. 2 columns, 46 lines per column, 310mmX440mm

Hymn for All Saint’s Day handwritten with black ink in Latin (gothic script) on vellum. There are eight, four line staves in red ink with notation (neumes) in black ink on both the verso and recto sides of the page. Two floriated initials “O” and “A” are decorated with flowers and fruit in blue, pink, green, and white ink with a gold background. The decorated initials are in red borders that appear to have been stenciled in at a later date. There are three places with punctures, where the vellum had clearly been stitched at one time. There are nine small decorated initials all in blue, pink, or white ink with gold backgrounds and red borders. Ruling, rubrication, and skin pores visible on the vellum. Writing from a later hand is apparent in both black and red ink, and part of the vellum seems to have suffered from some slight water damage. 175mmX240mm.

Leaf from Miracle on the Sea of Galilee from the Book of Matthew written with black ink in Latin (small gothic bookhand) on vellum. The breviary from where this leaf comes states in the colophon of the once intact book that the manuscript was completed December 22, 1464 and that the scribe’s name was Bartholomew. The once intact book was created at Lucca, a Cistercian Abbey in the Diocese of Minden. Rubrication and several large initials in blue and red ink are throughout the leaf. 2 columns, 24 lines (1 column with 23 lines), 90mmX110mm.

Prayer from a Book of Hours written with black ink in Latin (gothic script) on vellum. Decorated gilt initial with blue and pink background with vine work and three peacock feather plumes sprouting from the decorated initial. Several decorated crosses: two gilt with purple decoration and three blue with red decoration within the text. One gold cross acts as the “M” in “Omega.” Rubricated portion “Before you depart your house early in the morning, speak this.” Appears to be a prayer during Lauds in the Hours of the Virgin. 1 column, 13 lines, 210mmX290mm.

Persian written in black ink on paper. Gold borders and pink, blue, red, and gold flowers are painted on the paper. The contents include poems by Nizami (12th Century) and Jami (15th Century), two of the greatest Persian poets. 140mmX210mm.

Special thanks to Dr. Muhammad Isa Waley, Lead Curator, Persian, of the British Library for accurately identifying this leaf.

Five line staves in red ink with notation (neumes) in black ink on both the verso and recto sides of the page. Either printed or stenciled on the vellum in black and red ink. Page numbers in Arabic numbers stenciled or printed on the vellum in the upper right corner on recto. The vellum is very thick and heavy. 5 line staves, 5 staves on verso and recto, 450mmX600mm.

Medieval manuscript leaf on vellum from Italy (hair side recto, skin side verso) written in heavily abbreviated Latin in Gothic hand with text from the Rosarium Decretorum of Guido de Baysio, a commentary on Gratian's Decretum. Leaf text is a discussion of Gratian's 27th Causa, which outlines punishments for adultery between monks and nuns. Red and blue initials and paragraph breaks throughout. Multiple instances of marginalia including several manicules.

Qur'an leaf in Cufic writing in black ink with red notations.

Leaf of a Russian Book of Hymns, Cyrillic script, with "singing hooks" in the style of Eastern Orthodox musical notation. Characters in black ink with red notations; includes one decorated character in green, pink, yellow, and gold.