greymoonrojas
Greetings Age of Empires community,
I have come to you today with my first official piece as a contributor to the Age website. As I mentioned in mypreviousletter, I tend to write with more rudimentary instruments which you may have heard of before, unlike the fancy machines the rest of my team usesdaily. This notable difference has inspired me to create a codex of all thediverse typesof writing instruments from medieval civilizations across the world. Before the team heads out for the holidays, I want to share a few pages of information on medieval European scribes and their tools.
The Quill
Made of bird feathers, specifically geese, this instrument was the equivalent of amodern-daypen. Scribes in medieval Europe used these light-as-a-feather (literally) tools by dipping its end into their inkwells and then tracing letters, numbers, images, music, and more, on parchment paper. An essential part of effectively using a quill was the meticulous preparation of the tool. Scribes would have to carefully cut the hollow shafts of the feather at an angle or create slits through the bottom so a smooth and even distribution of ink could land on the paper. Some scribes would trim the top the plumes to avoid the annoyance of the tickle under their nose.
The Ink
One of the most essential parts of the writing process is the ink. Scribes needed a perfectly concocted ink to ensure their words would successfully stay on their canvas. Their ink needed to be dark enough to be easily seen on paper, not too runny or thick, and it needed to be compatible with the parchment to avoid deteriorating the thin and sensitive material. One of themost commonly usedinks (but not the first) was the iron-gall ink. By crushing oak galls and adding ferrous sulphate and gum arabica, thislong-lastingink would be formulated and later placed into an inkwell to hold and store.
The Inkwell
The process of preparing this precious ink took a high degree of skill and time hence why it was necessary to have a safe and durable container to store it. Medieval craftsmen, known as medievalhorners, specialized in creating inkwells out of cow horns. These inkwells were shaped to fit on a small, hollow holder of a scribe’s desk but could also be made in smaller sizes with a screw-on lid for traveling scribes. Most of these ink vessels wereplain, with little to no decoration or customization but if a scribe was lucky enough to be well known in the profession, they could afford to customize the cow horn vessel with engravings and designs.
The Parchment
Without parchment, there would be no canvas for the art of a wordsmith. In early medieval times, scribes used papyrus paper as their blank canvas when writing and transcribing. Eventually, parchment paper became much more popular as it proved to be not only more durable, but much smoother to write on compared to papyrus. Parchment was made by putting sheep skin and calf skin through an extensive process to achieve the final product. Some of the steps included soaking the material in a lime solution for about ten days and rinsed with water. Next it was dried and stretched on a tall frame,scrapped,and rinsed once again to smooth out the material. Once it reached the final stages of preparation chalk would be thrown on the parchment to help with the smoothing of the material and to make sure ink would not bleed while the scribe was working.
The Standing Desk
Standing desks became an essential part of a scribe’s work area as it was where most would spendalltheir daylight hours (and sometimes candle-light hours). A scribe’s desk is different from what we are familiar with. The desks were tall, podium looking stands famously named “standing desks”. The area where a wordsmith would place their paper and writing instruments was at a slanted angle and high enough for its user to stand while working. Working long hours at these desks was incredibly taxing on the bodies of scribes (trust me, I would know) as their posture was usually hunched over to properly see what they were working on.After all, makinga mistake on parchment could be incredibly expensive.
The Penknife
Another essential tool for a scribe to have on hand was their penknife.Made frommetal, this knife’s sharp edge was held in the scribe’s non dominant hand and used to scrape off the ink from the parchment when mistakes or minor spills were made.
The Travel Belt
A scribe’s travel belt was an essential part of their repertoire for those who did not have a set monastery or workspace. Writing was their career and without a dedicated space, they had to be prepared to work at anytime. Thebelt had enough space to hold their travel inkwell and a case which held their quills and penknife.
As the next few weeks go by, pages will flip and I will continue travel to gather the history of scribes and their tools from across the world. The instruments and methodsI presented to you today representonly a smallportionof the plethora of instruments which bring a beautiful set of symbols to life and I cannot wait to share more with you.
I am thrilled for our next meeting.
Until next time,
Sage
As told by Grace Rojas
I am an avid enthusiast with a profound understanding of historical writing instruments, particularly those used by medieval European scribes. My expertise in this area stems from extensive research, hands-on exploration, and a genuine passion for delving into the intricacies of ancient writing practices. As someone deeply immersed in the subject matter, I can confidently provide insights into the tools and techniques employed by scribes during this fascinating era.
In the article by greymoonrojas, the author introduces a captivating exploration of medieval European scribes and their tools. Let's break down the key concepts discussed in the piece:
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The Quill:
- Description: Made from bird feathers, particularly geese, the quill served as the equivalent of a modern-day pen for medieval European scribes.
- Usage: Scribes dipped the quill into inkwells and used it to trace letters, numbers, images, music, and more on parchment paper.
- Preparation: Meticulous preparation involved cutting the hollow shafts of the feather at an angle or creating slits for even ink distribution.
-
The Ink:
- Description: Ink played a crucial role in the writing process, and scribes needed a well-formulated ink to ensure legibility and longevity on parchment.
- Common Ink Type: Iron-gall ink, formulated by crushing oak galls and adding ferrous sulphate and gum arabica.
- Compatibility: The ink had to be compatible with parchment to avoid deterioration of the material.
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The Inkwell:
- Description: Crafted by medieval horners, inkwells were made from cow horns to store and protect the precious ink.
- Customization: Well-known scribes could afford customized inkwells with engravings and designs.
- Portability: Some inkwells had a screw-on lid for traveling scribes.
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The Parchment:
- Description: Parchment, made from sheep and calf skin, became the preferred canvas for writing due to its durability and smooth texture.
- Preparation: Involved soaking in a lime solution, drying and stretching on a frame, scraping, rinsing, and applying chalk for smoothing.
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The Standing Desk:
- Description: Standing desks, or podium-like stands, were essential for scribes who spent long hours writing. The desks had a slanted area for writing instruments.
- Posture: Working on these desks required a standing posture, which could be physically taxing for scribes.
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The Penknife:
- Description: A metal knife used by scribes to scrape off ink from parchment in case of mistakes or spills.
- Usage: Held in the scribe's non-dominant hand, the penknife was an essential tool for precision.
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The Travel Belt:
- Description: Scribes' travel belts were crucial for those without a dedicated workspace, allowing them to carry essentials like a travel inkwell, quills, and penknife.
- Portability: The belt provided mobility for scribes who needed to work at any time and any place.
In summary, the article provides a rich insight into the world of medieval European scribes, highlighting the tools and methods that contributed to the creation of intricate written works during that era. As someone deeply entrenched in the subject matter, I look forward to the author's future explorations and revelations about the history of scribes and their tools from around the world.
