Medieval Bibles – handwritten books – came in a striking variety of forms: they were sometimes modest in size, sometimes gargantuan; sometimes undecorated, often embellished with rich ornament, elaborate initials, and lengthy cycles of images that drew out the significance of the biblical word for readers. In this seminar we will study the historical reception of the books of the Bible in a concrete way. Beginning in earliest Christian times we will look at the kinds of manuscripts in which the Old and New Testament texts were transmitted across the centuries in Christian communities, and we will consider the changing conditions under which the texts were copied and studied. We will examine the efforts of scribes, correctors, and editors to keep the biblical texts error-free and of translators, commentators, and illustrators to keep them ever relevant. Students will learn a good deal about medieval art, culture, and religion and acquire skills in visual and textual analysis. They will have the opportunity to examine actual ancient papyri and medieval manuscripts in University of Michigan collections.
