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Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 5 Jun 2023
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| feb 2024 | miscellaneous edits to descriptions and dates (MRC/IS) |
Overview of the Collection |
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| Title: | Manuscript Leaves Collection |
| Dates: | 1000-1799 |
| Quantity: | 27 items |
| Abstract: | Manuscript leaves, various; includes pages from missals, choral music, illuminated manuscripts, and the Qur’an |
| Language: | Most in Latin, one in Persian, one in Arabic, one in Greek , one with notes in French. |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
The word manuscript comes, from the Latin manu 'by hand' + scriptus 'written' (past participle of scribere, to write). Paper is said to have been invented c. 105 CE in China by a court official named Cai Lun. While paper became widely used in the Middle East and East Asia, it did not reach Europe until the mid-12th century, when it was brought to the Muslim parts of Spain by Arab conquerors. Prior to the late 1400s, when paper-making became widespread across most of Europe, parchment (animal skin scraped clean and treated to be smooth and suitable for writing with ink) had been the most commonly used writing surface. Text was usually lettered in black ink, often with embellishments in red, blue or other colors. Capital letters were often highly decorative, wth rich colors, detailed images, and gold accents. Manuscripts decorated with gold are called illuminated manuscripts from the Latin illuminare (to light up).
The Manuscript Leaves Collection contains 27 individual manuscript pages in a range of sizes, from only a few inches to 26"x36". Each would originally have been part of a codex, or bound volume. Most of the leaves likely date from 1300-1600. Some contain choral music in square notation, which would have been displayed on a stand for use by a group of singers. Some are from illuminated books of hours or prayer books, with varying levels of decoration and detail. Two leaves are verses from the Qur’an, in Persian.
Items are in no particular order, although like items are grouped together.
Access Restrictions:
Each leaf is mounted on a larger sheet for protection and must not be separated/removed from this larger mounting sheet. Researchers wishing to see the verso of leaves, or the inside of folded leaves, will need to consult with staff regarding handling.
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions:
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Special Collections Research Center holds a number of complete illuminated volumes; please refer toLibraries Search to locate these items. Parts of these volumes have been digitized; see our our Digital Collections page..
Associated Titles
Qur'an.
Subjects
Books of hours -- Specimens.
Illumination of books and manuscripts -- Europe.
Illumination of books and manuscripts -- Middle East.
Illumination of books and manuscripts -- Specimens.
Manuscripts, Medieval -- Specimens.
Musical notation -- History -- To 1500.
Neumes -- Specimens.
Genres and Forms
Detached leaves.
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Manuscript Leaves Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Various.
Manuscript leaves
| Manuscript leaves | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Decorative initial “A”, against the background of a night scene possibly depicting the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane 16th century? - square piece of parchment mounted on a piece of paper; musical notation visible on the other side of the parchment; letter "A" in shades of cream, brown and gold, border in shades of cream and brown with metal leaf, illustration in shades of blue and grey with white accents; item is dated based on penciled note on back in French | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Illuminated manuscript cut-out fragment from French missal 14th century? - parchment, highly decorated initial and border in deep blue and purple with gold accents; text in Latin | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Illuminated manuscript leaves circa 1200-1500 - parchment of various sizes, with painted images, decorative initials and borders, etc.; text in Latin (11 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Manuscript leaf 11th century? - parchment, black lettering with small black-and-red decoration in center of page; text in Greek | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Illuminated manuscript leaf from Qur’an 18th century? - burnished paper, gold lettering with small decorative black and gold medallions; text in Persian | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Illuminated manuscript leaf from Qur’an 14th century? - burnished paper, black lettering with small decorative black and gold medallions; text in Arabic | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Music, choral leaf 14th century? - parchment, black lettering and notes with red lines and decorative initials; text in Latin | ||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Music, choral leaves circa 1400-1700 - double leaves of parchment, folded (bifolia), with remains of sewing cord; black and red lettering; text in Latin (5 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Music, choral leaves, Spain? circa 1400-1700 - very large (22"to 26" by 24.5" to 35.5") single leaves of parchment; black and red lettering, some decorative initials; text in Latin (5 items) | ||||||||||