manuscript

A manuscript is a document or composition that is written or typewritten, as opposed to being printed. Historically, manuscripts were created by hand, often in monasteries, where monks meticulously copied texts onto vellum or parchment. These handwritten books, known as codices, were the primary form of book production before the advent of printing.123

The process of creating a manuscript involved careful copying, proofreading, and often illumination with decorative elements. This labor-intensive method meant that book production was slow, and even large monastic libraries contained relatively few volumes. The content of medieval manuscripts typically included religious texts, writings by Church Fathers, and a smaller selection of secular works such as classics, mathematics, and history.3