VMs: Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:27:28 -0400

["legal1@xxxxxxxxx" <legal1@xxxxxxxxx>]

>From Cambridge's Department of History and Philosophy of Science website,
"Starry messenger: History of Astronomy - Medieval Astronomy to the
Scientific Revolution ", some nice tidbits:

On parchment and vellum:

>Books in the Middle Ages were hand-written, usually on parchment.
Parchment 
>(peramenum) refers to any animal skin prepared for writing on (e.g. sheep,
goat, deer, pig, >hare or squirrel), while 'vellum' refers specifically to
the skin of a cow (vitellus).

On the nature of "manuscripts of learning":

>Manuscript books were mainly produced in Europe in the scriptoria of
religious houses. >There were secular illuminators and scribes who worked
on a fixed charge. Books made of >parchment could be on religious topics,
such as the Bible or legends of saints; they could >be on secular topics,
such as history and romances; and they were also used as >textbooks. The
Bibles, stories of saints, Books of Hours, histories and romances were
>often beautifully illuminated with colours and gold and became luxury
items that reflected >the wealth and the taste of the owners. Manuscripts
of learning, however, tended to be >more humble, limited in decoration and
colour. 

On the 'pecia' system and maybe a reason why our folios are missing:

>Most medieval universities required the professors to deposit a
master-copy of the text at >the university stationers, who in turn lent out
parts ( = pecia) of 10-12 sheets at time for >students to copy them. This
lending out of text by parts (the 'pecia' system) ensured that a >small
number of master copies could be circulated efficiently. 

Finally, in a very fine enhancement of a Regiomontanus print also in their
collection, we note again the Pisces joined by a string, the Cancer
crayfish and the somewhat unusual "S" (eyebrow becomes nose) facial pattern:
http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/starry/regiomontanuslrg.jpg

If we do find the keys we seek before 2012, maybe we should add crayfish to
the menu?
Not that I don't enjoy pizza, but crayfish does seem to go better with the
sparkling spirits... just a thought =)

Luis

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