Glossary

  • Writing support that is made of the untanned skins of animals primarily young sheep and goat. The skins are specially treated through the processes of soaking, dehairing, scraping, and tension drying to achieve the thin and flexible qualities desired by scribes. Parchment and vellum are often used as interchangeable terms as it is can be difficult to distinguish the skins used without detailed scientific analysis.
  • Also known as Gregorian chant, this refers to the body of single-line melody sacred music used in public ceremonies. Plainsong could be decorated with flourishes and miniatures.
  • Small holes that have been made in regular intervals by a scribe with a knife or point alongside the edge of a folio to create guide rules for writing.
  • A book containing the Book of Psalms to be used for daily devotions.