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 i
