Representations of the Late Antique book: rotula, tablet, codex

Inspired by some self-isolation reading and on-going research, here are some images of the Late Antique book in all its forms. 

I need to do a separate post on early bindings for papyri textblocks but if this is a subject that interests you there is still time to register for the symposium, Fresh Perspectives on the Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Papyrology, and Communication in the Ancient World.

I had planned to stop around 700 AD, but it was impossible to look at the St Cuthbert Gospel of St John without immediately thinking of some of the first extant Islamic bookbindings from Kairouan. The parallels have been discussed many times over.

It is also great to see that Coptic Bindings in the Pierpont Morgan Library by Theodore C. Petersen and edited by Frank Trujillo, has just been published by The Legacy Press. It's sure to be a pivotal publication for the study of the early book.

Left: Male Bust with scroll, 1st century AD, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli inv. 9072; Right: Still life with writing materials (stylus and ink pot, wax tablet and scroll) and money, 1st century AD, Pompeii. 

Left: Portrait of woman known as Sappho, 1st century AD, Pompeii; 

Right: Wood writing tablet with a party invitation written in ink, in two hands, from Claudia Severa to Lepidina, 97-103 AD, British Museum 1986, 1001.64

Left: Wax writing tablets, 300-310 AD, Egypt, Chester Beatty Library W 142.5 & W 142.6; 

Right: Portrait of the baker Terentius Neo and his wife, 55-79 AD, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.

The Nag Hammadi Library, 4th century AD, Egypt, Coptic Museum Cairo. Left: Codex II.

Left: Model of the Glazier Codex made by Ursula Mitra in 2011; Right: Parchment bifolio from the Glazier Codex, 5th century AD, Egypt, The Morgan Library MS G.67.

Left: Holy man carrying the cross, 5th century AD, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna; Right: Model of a Coptic binding by Charles Lamacraft, original c.600 AD, Chester Beatty CBL 813.10

Left: St John the Evangelist, 6th century, Basilica of San Vitale (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna; Right: St Mark the Evangelist, 6th century, Basilica of San Vitale (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna.

Left: St Matthew the Evangelist being inspired by an angel, 6th century, Basilica of San Vitale (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna; Right: St Luke the Evangelist, 6th century, Basilica of San Vitale (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna.

Cover of a Coptic Gospel, 7th or 8th century AD, Monastery of Holy Mary Mother of God, Perkethoout, the Fayum, Egypt, The Morgan Library MS M.569 

Above: Outer covers (lower and upper); Below: Inner covers (upper and lower).

Left: Treasure binding, 3rd or 4th century AD, Egypt, Chester Beatty Library Cpt 801; Right: Treasure binding for The Dagulf Psalter, 783-795 AD, Germany, Musée du Louvre. Manuscript Cod. 1861, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

Left: Detail from Christ and Abbot Mena, 8th century AD, Bawit, Egypt, Musée du Louvre E 11565; Right: Treasure binding from a Gospel book, 7th century AD, Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Monza. 

Top left: A leather binding, 10th century AD, Kairouan, Christies 2002; Lower left: A leather binding, 10th century AD, Kairouan; Right: The St Cuthbert Gospel (formerly known as the Stonyhurst Gospel), early 8th century AD, British Library Add MS 89000.

All images sourced via online repositories:
Getty Images, Chester Beatty Digital Collections, The Morgan Library & Museum, The British Library, Musée du Louvre, British Museum, Coptic Museum Cairo, Bard Graduate Center, Museo e Tesoro del Duomo di Monza, Christies, Wikimedia Commons.