'Mulier amicta sole et luna sub pedibus ei[u]s et sup[e]r caput corona stellarum duodecim'.
BL Add 11695; Beatus of Liébana, Commentary on the Apocalypse; 1091-1109 CE; Spain, N.; ff.147v, 148r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
A composite image showing a fragment from the Cotton Genesis captured under standard, infrared and ultraviolet light.
The Cotton Genesis (Cotton MS Otho B VI, 5th century) was left barely legible after the Ashburnham House Fire in 1731.
Multispectral imaging on the MS has now uncovered texts and images unseen for hundreds of years. Join us at our upcoming conference to learn more.
events.bl.uk/events/multi...
Support the development of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest through this extraordinary PhD placement opportunity.
Available to students currently registered at a UK HEI, three full-time, six-month placements. Applications open until Monday 6 April.
Find out more: link.bl.uk/dnv
A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'L'(a gloria) of Christ in a chariot with Evangelist symbols, and Adam and Eve; (below) miniature of Dante and Apollo before Parnassus.
A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'N'(el) of Dante and Virgil in a dark wood, with four half-length figures representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance; (below) arms of Alphonso V, king of Aragon, Naples, and Sicily.
A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'P'(Per) of Dante setting sail for Purgatory.
The Yates Thompson Divine Comedy has been returned online. Commissioned by Alfonso V, King of Aragon, Naples and Sicily, this copy of Dante's work has illuminations on every single page (Yates Thompson MS 36)
Consult the whole manuscript online now:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
St. Cuthbert's Day has come round again and I'm very happy to be able to update last year's post with the link to the St. Cuthbert Gospel, which is back online. Catalogue entry here searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-... with link to the digitized MS from there.
⚓ @blmedieval.bsky.social
Historiated initial 'I'(n) with scenes from creation at the beginning of Genesis
BL Harley MS 4772; The first part of the ‘Montpellier Bible’, containing the Book of Genesis to the Book of Malachi; 12th century; France, S.E.; f.5r @blmedieval.bsky.social
A French inscription in gold, written in mirror writing, which reads, 'Regardez en pyte/ votre loyal amy / qui na Jour ne demy / Bien pour votre amyte'
A portrait of Pierre Sala from his collection of love poems.
The portrait of Pierre Sala opposite a French inscription in mirror writing, from a collection of love poems he wrote for his future wife Marguerite Bullioud in around the year 1500 (Stowe MS 955)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
The Golf Book (Add MS 24098 f. 22r): searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
The Luttrell Psalter (Add MS 42130, f. 176r): searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (Royal MS 17 C XXXVIII, f. 28r): searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
A lower marginal illustration showing a shepherd tending a flock of sheep, with a man playing the bagpipes.
A marginal figure of a man playing the bagpipes.
A pair of hares from the margins, one playing a trumpet, the other playing the bagpipes.
A trio of medieval bagpipers 🎶🎶🎶
A roundel from the Guthlac Roll, showing demons emerging from the Mouth of Hell, and St Bartholomew giving a scourge to St Guthlac to drive them away.
The Guthlac Roll is back online!
A 13th-century parchment roll from Crowland Abbey telling the story of the life of St Guthlac in 18 drawings (Harley Roll Y 6)
You can consult the whole roll through the online catalogue record:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
The front cover of a gold binding, with a loop at the top and a clasp on the right-hand side.
A portrait of Henry VIII from a golden girdle book, containing a copy of the Psalms in English verse.
Now returned online: this tiny golden girdle book, made around 1540, containing an English verse translation of the Psalms and an added portrait of Henry VIII (Stowe MS 956).
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
An unfurled medieval birth girdle, showing illustrations of the three nails of the Crucifixion, talismans and Christ's side wound.
A medieval English birth girdle, an amulet offering protection for women during childbirth. It's inscribed with protective prayers, charms and other talismans.
You can consult the entire MS online now! (Harley Roll T 11)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
A detail from the Chronicle of Battle Abbey, showing a historiated initial enclosing a portrait of William the Conqueror, sitting enthroned, wearing a crown and holding a sceptre, with a dog at his feet. The initial is formed from a winged creature.
We have an incredible new PhD placement opportunity to help support the development and curation of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest, opening in October 2027.
Learn more and apply through the link below!
www.bl.uk/services/res...
A page from a manuscript of Boccaccio's Des cas de nobles hommes et femmes, showing an illustration of the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Thank you! This image is from a copy of Boccaccio's Des cas de nobles hommes et femmes: Add MS 35321, f. 4v (The construction of the Tower of Babel).
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
A boar and its harp shall never be parted.
BL Harley 6563; Book of Hours; c.1320 CE-c.1330 CE; England, S. E. (London); f.41v @blmedieval.bsky.social
Is it Easter yet?
#medievalsky
@blmedieval.bsky.social @britishlibrary.bsky.social Add 49622, f. 56r
The lower half of a manuscript page, featuring a marginal figure dragging a portion of text encircled with a rope into place.
A marginal figure drags an omitted portion of text into place in this copy of Thomas Hoccleve's Regiment of Princes (Arundel MS 38).
A single sheet document containing the text of a will in Old English.
'Wynflaed's Will', the earliest surviving woman's will in British history, made in the 940s. Its bequests include tapestries, jewelry, bedclothes and books for her daughter Æthelflæd.
Cotton Ch VIII 38
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
An opening from a medieval manuscript of Peraldus' Theological miscellany, showing illustrations of dragons and serpents.
How to Train Your Dragon 🐉🐉
Peraldus' Theological Miscellany, 1236-c.1250 (Harley MS 3244, f. 59r)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
An opening from Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, featuring mirror writing and different diagrams.
Newly restored online: Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, also known as the Codex Arundel (Arundel MS 263), written in his characteristic mirror-writing with diagrams, drawings, brief texts, and personal notes.
You can consult the entire manuscript online now: searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
"To run through better waters the little ship of my wit now hoists its sails, leaving behind it a sea so cruel, and I will sing of that second realm..." Canto 1 Purgatorio
BL Yates Thompson MS 36; Dante Alighieri, Divina Commedia; 15th century; Italy, N; f.65r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
The opening of the Gospel of St Matthew from the Bodmin Gospels.
A decorated canon table from the Bodmin Gospels.
The opening of the Gospel of St Mark from the Bodmin Gospels.
A page from the Bodmin Gospels, showing a set of added manumissions, or documents concerning the release of slaves.
A few folios from the Bodmin Gospels (Add MS 9381), a 9th-century Breton Gospel-book that was brought to Bodmin in Cornwall by the end of the 10th century. It's notable for its added manumissions, documents recording the free of slaves.
@ccurran.bsky.social
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
We don't currently have a timeline on it being available again, but more digitised manuscripts are being restored later in the year and we will post with updates.
A marginal illustration from the Luttrell Psalter, showing meals being prepared and carried out by servants.
A marginal illustration from the Luttrell Psalter, showing a family sitting down for dinner at a long table, arrayed with dishes.
The Luttrell family sit down for dinner, from the Luttrell Psalter (Add MS 42130)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
The Basilisk: don't look into its eyes! 🙈
BL Royal MS 12 C XIX; Bestiary; c 1200-c 1210 CE; England; f.63r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
An opening from a medieval manuscript, showing a map of Scotland, depicted with castles, rivers and other topographical features.
The earliest independent map of Scotland, from John Hardyng's Chronicle (Lansdowne MS 204)
You can consult the whole manuscript through the online catalogue:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
Monday!
#medievalsky
@blmedieval.bsky.social @britishlibrary.bsky.social Stowe 17, f. 185r
Two rabbits capture a man from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals.
A rabbit decapitates a man with a sword.
A rabbit fires arrows at a hound with a longbow, from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals.
Murderous bunny rabbits from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals 🐇🐇🐇
c. 1300-1340, Royal MS 10 E IV
Christine de Pizan before Reason, Rectitude, and Justice; and Christine with Reason building the Cité des Dames
#InternationalWomensDay
BL Harley 4431, f. 290r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
The opening of Beowulf from the unique surviving manuscript of the Old English text, beginning with a large initial 'H'.
Hwaet! The Beowulf manuscript (Cotton MS Vitellius A XV) is now back online.
You can consult the entire manuscript through the online catalogue:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...