WEEK 5 BOOK MAKING

1. WEEK 5 BOOK MAKING Compiled by Amy

2. Ancient Mesopotamia • Clay Tablets • Cuneiform • Written with a stylus in wet clay • Baked to harden Heavy to Move Heavy to Store Breakable Many people could read and write in Cuneiform. Merchants, leaders, military, men and women.

3. Ancient Egypt • Papyrus • Made by weaving plant fibers, soaking and softening. • Lightweight • Be rolled into a scroll • Hieroglyphs • Many People could read this form of writing. The pictures conveyed entire concepts not just sounds. • Monuments were also marked with the hieroglyphs.

4. Ancient Germanic Peoples • Runes and Ogham • Used by Vikings, Celts, and other Germanic Peoples • Carved into wood, stone, leatherwork, weaving work and more.

5. Ancient Greece and Rome • Used the Ancient Greek Alphabet. • Wealthy learned to read and write. • The wooden books with was inside and a stylus became important. • More permanent things were written on stone, animal skins, and on papyrus.

6. Dark Ages • The fall of Western Rome (Italy) began the dark ages. • The necessity to survive crated a great void in the arts and sciences during this time. • People seem to have forgotten about the wonders of art and literature. • Eastern Rome of the Byzantine Empire was still going strong. • In the Middle Ages we see a renewed interest in art and science. • There were few that could read and write. • Truly only the elite had the opportunity to learn.

7. Middle Ages • During the Middle ages the art of bookmaking became important. • Books were made for only the extremely wealthy. • Books often cost more than an entire high rise does today. • Books were commissioned and could take a year of more to finish. • Only the extremely wealthy could read and write so a book was a status symbol as well. • One Middle Ages Book just sold at Christies for £16 Million

8. Saint Benedict of Nursia • Patron Saint of Europe and Students • Why? • Encouraged his monks to gain an education • Even had them read the Pagan works • Created the Benedictine Scriptoria • Scriptorium actually means a “place of writing” • Where the monks copied texts • Created a library at Monte Cassino • Made sure the scriptorium was heated so the monks could work diligently

9. Parchment • Parchment • Made from sheepskin or goatskin • Put the skins in water for one day and one night • Take them out and wash them until the water runs clear • Put them in a new bath with lime and water that is a thick cloudy mix. • Place the skins with the flesh side folded • Move with a pole two or three times • Leave them for 8 days • Wash until the water runs clear • 2 days in a clean bath • Attach cords to them and tie them to a frame • Dry, then shave with a sharp knife • Leave for 2 days in the sun • Moisten with water and rub the flesh side with pumice • After 2 days wet it again by sprinkling with water and clean the flesh side with pumices • Tighten the cords • When dry remove from the frame.

10. Vellum • Vellum is made from calfskin. • It is processed similar to parchments but often offered a finer end product. • It comes from the Latin word vitulus meaning a calf.

11. Manuscript • Manuscripts get their name from the Latin word manu scriptus or “written by hand”. • Minium or red paint was used to line the pages for the script and borders. • 3 Parts of a Manuscript • Miniature • Words • Border Decoration

12. Painting Process • Paint was often made using stone, egg, and plant matter. • Blue paint was made from lapis lazuli stone. It was the most expensive color. • Brushes and quills were used to create these masterpieces.

13. Illuminated • Illuminated means to “fill with light” • Let’s test this theory…shall wee • Close all roladins/curtains etc. • Light candle for reading • Use the image of a basic black and white page • Use an illuminated page • Illumination was the use of gold or silver leafing to create reflective surfaces.

14. How Were the books made

15. Types of Books • Books were so costly that many were created for the churches and were copies of the prayers, coronation services and more. • The Psalters became very popular and were the book of Psalms. • The Devotions of Mary was a very popular middle ages book for women. It was a daily devotional. • By 1200 books became more accessible. They were used at Cambridge University and Oxford for Theology, Law, Medicine, and the arts. • Before too long Chaucer had written out great narrative poems. • Saint George and the Dragon for example is from this time frame.

16. Gatherings or Sections or Signatures • Each of the gatherings are the folded sheets of parchment. • Each sheet is folded separately using a bone folder. • The sheet is a folio, when folded it is now a bifolio. • We will stack 6 (full pages) bifolios inside each unit to create one gathering, section, or signature.

17. a Middle Ages Book Cover • Made of Wood • Left uncovered or covered with leather or fabric • Finished with great detail, jewels, gems and gold leafing! • Often with clasps made of finely worked metal

18. Binding of middle ages manuscripts • This is a Coptic binding • This binding leaves a beautiful dimensional finish on the binding of a book. • Each signature (white grouping of pages) is bound one on top of the other to the covers of the book. • The kettle stich is shown here to secure the book.