The analysis of medieval European manuscripts

Abstract The benefits of analysing the materials of manuscripts, particularly pigments, are outlined. The difficulty of analysing manuscripts, compared to that for other artefacts, is explained. The development of the analysis of manuscripts, the techniques used and the results reported, are reviewed. Suitable techniques are identified, and their strengths and weaknesses are assessed. Tables are given, which provide keys to the published analyses, indexing them by date and by the techniques used. The results of these published analyses are collated in a referenced table, showing those pigments that have been positively identified by reliable techniques, by century, for medieval European manuscripts.

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