MS 84 - The Yale “Girdle Book”Girdle books were codices whose outer covers forme
MS 84 - The Yale “Girdle Book”Girdle books were codices whose outer covers formed a leather bag that, when tied up, could be tucked into a belt, or girdle. The above photos, which feature a 15th-century copy of Boetheus’ Consolations of Philosophy, show how often the traveling literate used these volumes. While sporting some details characteristic of less-portable medieval codices - peep the majuscule (large first letter) in the second photo and the miniatures (red text, from lat. minirare) in the third - it also contains loads of marginalia, or notes. These might have guided the reader in interpreting the text out-loud, or in deciphering the Latin found within. Nonetheless, both the marginalia and the portable nature of MS 84 show that it was used, and used often. Location: Beinecke Library, Yale (New Haven, Connecticut, United States)Usage rights: Images property of the Beinecke Library, displayed under rights of Fair Use (pedagogical)References: Beinecke Library, Yale College. “Go, Little Book: Portable Medieval Manuscripts from the Beinecke Library.” Beinecke Library, n.d. Yale College. http://brbl-archive.library.yale.edu/exhibitions/golittlebook/girdle.htmlLaskow, Sarah. “Go Medieval By Attaching a Book to Your Belt.” Atlas Obscura, 19 Apr. 2018. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-a-girdle-book -- source link
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