medieval manuscript studies

Medieval manuscript studies is the academic field dedicated to examining handwritten books from the Middle Ages. Scholars analyze these manuscripts—often created by monks or scribes—to understand their historical, artistic, and cultural contexts. This involves studying the texts, illumination (decorative artwork), materials, production techniques, and marginalia. By doing so, researchers gain insight into medieval literacy, religion, society, and the transmission of knowledge. The field combines history, art history, paleography, and codicology to preserve and interpret these valuable artifacts, shedding light on a pivotal era in human history.