The Manuscript Tradition

The manuscript tradition refers to the way texts were copied and preserved before the invention of the printing press. Throughout history, important documents, books, and religious texts were hand-written by scribes. Each copy could vary due to human error or intentional changes, influencing how stories or knowledge were transmitted. This tradition played a crucial role in preserving literature, historical records, and cultural heritage, especially in the Middle Ages. Manuscripts are valuable for understanding historical context, language evolution, and the development of ideas over time. Today, they remain key artifacts for scholars studying past civilizations.