Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Researching the origin of medieval manuscripts

Background

• Medieval manuscripts - handwritten books produced between the fifth and fifteenth centuries

• Origin of many manuscripts unknown until 2009; scientists started using DNA testing

Animal hides - two types

Parchment

• Sheep skin: white in colour and [1]

• Greasy - writing can’t be erased so often used for [2]

Vellum

• Calf skin: most popular for prestigious work because you can get [3] lettering.

Preparation of hides

• Treated in barrels of lime - where this was not available, skins were [4] (removed hair -> more flexible)

• Stretched tight on a frame

• Scraped to create same [5]

• Vellum was [6]

Genetic testing - finding origins

• Previously - analysed handwriting and [7] used by the writer

• Now - using genetic data from ‘known manuscripts’ to create a '[8]'

Uses of new data

• Gives information on individual books

• Shows the [9] of the book industry

• Helps define [10] in medieval period