Dr Cait Stevenson

Let's talk manuscript names (shelfmarks):

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 4660, f. 1r

City, library (can be abbrev.), "MS" (optional), collection name, location
"f. 1r" is the page: lie a book flat; left is verso, right is recto; front+back share a number

That's the Carmina Burana!

22.11.2024 22:33 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Me: I love helping people understand the real meaning behind weird medieval art. My Bluesky account will be filled with actual explanations so people can enjoy medieval art nerdily. This is a sacred mission from which I shall not diverge.

Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal Ms-5088 réserve:

22.11.2024 22:19 — 👍 12    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Manuscript illumination of a large and tiny elephant standing in water. Above them is a purple dragon with wings.

Need a little boost? Here's a mama and baby elephant from the Queen Mary Psalter (14C)! The purple thing overhead is a dragon, elephants' traditional enemies...and traditional victims. If a dragon tries to attack a mama elephant and her newborn, papa elephant will STOMP on the dragon--and win.

18.11.2024 21:40 — 👍 7    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Current favorite fact about the Middle Ages: 13th century Egyptians made little doggie sweaters to keep their dogs warm.

(See Shehada, 'Mamluks and Animals')

17.11.2024 10:47 — 👍 9    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Medieval manuscript colored painting. A woman points and the sky and shows a group of men what's literally up.

Salve! It's probably best to start with the classic username explanation: "She would rather have lost any four castles than her books." Thank you, Prose 'Lancelot' (early 13C), for the best description of Morgan le Fey in all of Arthuriana.

17.11.2024 08:37 — 👍 15    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0