Bible Heritage Collection
Manuscript Leaf from a French Vulgate Bible
Files
Document Type
Original leaf
Keywords
Bible, manuscript
Brief Description
[1 original leaf scribed in France]. This leaf, ca. 1250, is from a Latin manuscript “pocket” Bible. The text includes the end of the 3rd chapter of Zephaniah on into the 3rd chapter of Haggai. The minute text is handwritten and both sides of the leaf are hand illuminated.
Context
Even though the development of the portable manuscript (hand-written) Bibles enhanced the transportability of the Scriptures, the arrival of the Dominican and Franciscan friars in Paris led to another transformation of the physical Bible. The friars traveled from place to place, preaching the Word of God and usually relying on the charity of faithful Christians. The new one-volume "Paris Bible" was in ideal format for the friars because it was portable, it was definitive, it was searchable, and it was available commercially. However, since friars commonly walked from place to place, the portable Bibles were a little cumbersome. Those Bibles fit into the saddle bag of a horse or donkey, but hardly fit into the folds of a friar's habit. Thus, even smaller Bibles were developed called "pocket" Bibles. Each copy was commonly written in minute script, densely blocked on the page, and is so compact that it can encompass all parts of the Scriptures into a single small unit, an entire hand-written Bible in one consecutive book in a single binding. The parchment or vellum is sometimes so white and thin that it looks like tissue paper, almost weightless in its density. The pages often had tiny initials at the start of each text with red or blue penwork for chapter initials or other illustrations. This leaf is from a Latin manuscript “pocket” Bible scribed in France. The text includes the end of the 3rd chapter of Zephaniah into the 3rd chapter of Haggai. The minute text is handwritten and both sides of the leaf are hand illuminated.
Country or Place of Origin
France
Medium
Vellum
Language
Latin
Publication Date of the Original
circa 1250
