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| Medieval
books were often very expensive because they were made by hand from
rare and precious materials. |
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By permission
of the British Library
C.27.e.19 Embroidered binding showing arms of Catherine Parr |
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The Bolton
Hours. F.100v. Archbishop Scrope and a female donor.
Copyright Dean &
Chapter of York: YMA ref. AddMS 2
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The pages
were made from parchment or sometimes from hand made paper.
Parchment is animal skin soaked in chemicals and with the hair taken
off and stretched very thin, then scraped smooth with a crescent shaped
knife. When it is clean and dry it has a very smooth surface to write
on. It was complicated to make and took a long time. It would take
hundreds of animals to make enough parchment for a large book! |
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Click here to find out how to make your own medieval book.