Questions 1 - 10:
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Background
- Medieval manuscripts - handwritten books produced between the fifth and fifteenth centuries
- Origin of many manuscripts unknown until 2009; scientists started using DNA testing
Animal hides - two types
Parchment
- Sheep skin: white in colour and 1
- Greasy - writing can’t be erased so often used for 2
Vellum
- Calf skin: most popular for prestigious work because you can get 3 lettering.
Preparation of hides
- Treated in barrels of lime - where this was not available, skins were 4 (removed hair -> more flexible)
- Stretched tight on a frame
- Scraped to create same 5
- Vellum was 6
Genetic testing - finding origins
- Previously - analysed handwriting and 7 used by the writer
- Now - using genetic data from ‘known manuscripts’ to create a 8
Uses of new data
- Gives information on individual books
- Shows the 9 of the book industry
- Helps define 10 in medieval period