Icelandic codicology

Question 1

What sources ( or not) do we have for medieval Icelandic bookmaking?

Answer 1

• no extent icelandic records describe medieval book production but we can gain an impression from 2 sources:
• -1) continental book making and sources/ descriptions describing this process -medieval illustrations provide an insight into the craft

2) the appearance of icelandic vellum/ books

Question 2

Describe icelandic vellum’s apparence

Answer 2

Icelandic vellum is generally a lot darker than european vellum because the manuscripts were very well used and kept in sooty, turf built houses— Icelandic manuscripts preserved in Norway are in much better condition and tend to be lighter
– most icelandic vellum is made from calf skin- whiter and therefore more desireable

Question 3

How did the production of icelandic vellum differ to europe

Answer 3

The craft was broadly similar to european vellum but it is possible that they used thermal water and volcanic ash to remove the hair– the technique used to remove the hair is the main difference
- they also may have ‘rotted’ the hair off by soaking the skins in piss, so that the hair ‘rotted’ lose

Question 4

Introduce ink in icelandic mS

Answer 4

• when writing first began in iceland, they probably used imported Ink
• mixing ink was a painstaking task- some letters were black and glossy whereas others were more browny and this depended upon the proportion of iron sulphate in the ink.

Question 5

Where were the majority of books produced in iceland?

Answer 5

Although some book production was in monasteries, writing is thought to have been more common among laymen than elsewhere in Europe- many scribes came from the families of wealthy farmers

Question 6

Where did icelanders get their coloured pigments from?

Answer 6

There are few illustrated Icelandic manuscripts that are as splendid as those from other countries– it is not known where Icelanders sourced their coloured pigments from
- a UCL study of the Jonsbok MS in 1993 concluded that the pigments used in the MS’ illuminations were not found in Icelandic nature and THEREFORE that they imported their coloured inks

Question 7

What colour are icelandic chapter headings and rubrics nearly always written in

Answer 7

Red

regardless of whether the manuscript was illuminated