Fragmentology and the Medieval Book

Aimed at students, educators, librarians, and collectors, this volume explores the discipline of Fragmentology—the study of medieval manuscript fragments ranging from the smallest initials to substantial remnants. Like the medieval books they come from, fragments are unique cultural artifacts offering opportunities for innovative teaching and research. The introduction conveys the history of manuscript fragmentation and its motivations: obsolescence, scholarship, and commerce. Individual chapters focus on fragment theory and the practical skills required to study fragments: forensic description, textual identification, provenance research, and palaeographical and codicological analyses. Digital tools are presented as complementary means to traditional approaches. Through case studies, the authors focus on the medieval genres most commonly encountered, such as bibles, books of hours, and liturgical books.