Latin Palaeography: Antiquity and the Middle Ages (Paperback)

by Bernhard Bischoff (Author) "The most important writing material of antiquity until the first centuries of the Christian era was papyrus, which the Greeks had acquired from the Egyptians..." (more)
Key Phrases: Lateinische Palaographie, Monte Cassino, Mittelalterliche Studien (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...this translation should soon become the standard textbook for the teaching of Latin palaeography in English-language and North American graduate schools. Both the author and the translators deserve our thanks for bringing this project to its worthwhile conclusion. We now have at our disposal in English not only a modern scholarly synthesis on the history of Latin writing up to about the year 1500, with the insights and intuitive judgments of an accomplished master in the field, but also an authoritative and well-documented treatise on how manuscripts should be understood as the products of their contemporary cultural environment." Phoenix

"...the combination of new ideas, the comprehensive treatment, the rich notes and bibliography, all complemented by the extraordinary judgement which is the hallmark of Professor Bischoff's writing, make this handbook unequalled and unapproached in our present literature and a superb guide to further study." Speculum

"Its publication is an auspicious occasion for English speakers who study western medieval manuscripts. The translators, paleographers in their own right, have understood and translated the text accurately and with skill. The volume includes twenty-three well-produced plates, superbly chosen by Bischoff to illustrate types of script and furnished by him with partial transcriptions and bibliography..." Speculum

"This book, by the most distinguished living paleographer, should be on the shelves of all those interested in pre-1500 writing. A manual intended for students, it is the most concise and reliable introduction to its subject, as well as a guide to further reading, with extensive bibliographical citations in the footnotes." Calligraphy Review

Product Description
First published in 1979, this work, by the greatest living authority on medieval palaeography, offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date account in any language of the history of Latin script. It contains a detailed account of the role of the book in cultural history from antiquity to the Renaissance and outlines the history of book illumination. By setting the development of Latin script in its cultural context, it provides an unrivalled introduction to the nature of medieval Latin culture.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (April 27, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521367263
• ISBN-13: 978-0521367264
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #274,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Useful for Palaeographers, September 27, 1999

By	Mr. Gary Dykes (Visalia, CA) - See all my reviews

Bischoff is one of the greatest and ablest scholars for such a work. The volume's 289 pages gives a good overall picture of the Latin scripts in the period covered. Very good facsimiles of actual manuscripts accent the text. Though not acid free (apparently), the paper is very fine and the paperback seems sturdy. It has all of the necessary indexes, including MSS referred to, but no index of Latin terms within the text. Bischoff could have devoted more space to ligatures and tachyography at least the topic is not ignored. The representations of the various scripts are clear, and the volume is well referenced. It is most likely the best text on Latin palaeography for this period of Latin. The price is also right. Mr. Gary S. Dykes (Sept. 1999)