The Codex and the Illuminated Manuscript 1st Century AD

Post an example of a scroll.
  

 











What were the drawbacks of the scroll?
Only allowed for sequential usage. Readers must read the text in the order it was written
Post an example of a codex.

What is a codex?
 Covered and bound collection of hand written pages  
"Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why?
 Because they are made from blocks of wood
What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"?
 Random- one can go to any point to find the information
Sequential- one must go through the scroll to find a certain passage
What were the advantages of using the codex?
 Compactness, sturdiness, and ease of reference
What helped spread the use of the codex?
 The rise of Christianity
What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it?
Parchment. It was smoothed out and then put into water to dry
What is vellum?
Finer qualities of parchment were made from skins of young cows
Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex?
 Kindle and the iPad 
What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration?
 The decline of the Roman Empire resulted in fewer books being created
Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.
 










Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?
 Monastic monks
What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?
Refers to the borders, illustrations, and ornamentation added to each page of text
What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?
Natural quill pens were used for the highly intricate and detailed work
Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?
 Used for Christian masses
What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?
Skill in an occupation or trade

The Roman Alphabet 7 BC

What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
 Variant of the Greek alphabet
What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
 Informal was used for quick writing and used for letters and routine writing. Formal script was used for important manuscripts and official documents
Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?
Serifs originated with the carving of the words into stone, institution of the baseline in typography and penmanship, Romans insured that the type was perfectly aligned into rows
From where did serifs originate?
 From when the writers didn't want the letters to slip when they were wet and drying
When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?
They were created by the Latin people because they found some of the letters and decided to make them all smaller like that
What is a ligature and why were they utilized?
 Something that is used to bind something tightly
Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form. 

The Greek Alphabet 800 BC

How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
 They regularly came to Greece and established trade agreements with them
How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?
It was less suitable for the Greeks. Several of the consonants were adapted as vowels. As well, additional letters were included
Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?
It has given rise to many other alphabets
Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?
 The Greek alphabet has more differences between the consonants and the vowels and the english language has figured that out more now
Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form.