Manuscripts and Palaeography

Palaeography (‘old writing’) is the study of pre-modern manuscripts: hand-written books, rolls, scrolls and single-sheet documents. It covers the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the use and development of handwriting to communicate information and ideas in periods before the widespread adoption of printing in movable type.

Note that many libraries all around Europe and the globe have made their manuscripts available online. Since not every library can be listed below, it is a good strategy to try to explore the digital resources of the library that holds the manuscript of interest to you. For example, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Laurentian library in Florence) and its manuscripts can be accessed online.

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