12 March 2013
Hooray for Public Domain Images!
Recently we asked our readers how they have been using our public domain images. And we're extremely gratified by the many responses we have received, via Twitter (@blmedieval) and in the comments section at the end of the original blogpost. Here is a selection of your comments:
I do medieval recreation/reenactment, and I like to use the BL images as inspiration for my illuminated/calligraphed texts.
I recently published an article on medieval wood pasture management and was excited to be able to use manuscript images from the BL Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts as part of the analysis. An acknowledgement of the BL's service in providing the image was included in the endnote for each figure. Thanks so much for providing this service to scholars!
Detail of a miniature of men beating down acorns to feed their pigs, on a calendar page for November (London, British Library, MS Royal 2 B VII, f. 81v).
I'm teaching a course on Arthurian literature, art and film from the Middle Ages to the present in October, and am using the image of Arthur from Royal 20 A. II, f. 4 as the course image. It's wonderful to have this readily available representation of Arthur from a medieval manuscript, and hopefully will serve to inspire my students not only in terms of an interest in Arthurian studies, but also manuscript studies too!
I have used your images from the Queen Mary Psalter and your interface to make a point about mediated networks.
Yes (with attribution), on a poster for a Middle English poetry reading.
Thank you, yes! Lady Jane Grey 1 and Lady Jane Grey 2
Text page with coloured initials and line-fillers, and a portion of a message written in the margin by Lady Jane Grey to her father, the Duke of Suffolk: '… youre gracys humble daughter Jane Duddley.' (London, British Library, MS Harley 2342, f. 80r).
Yep, in my tumblr (but I mentioned it!). By the way, you're doing a very very great job, thanks!
Just in time for prepping my 13th/14th c Northern Painting class.
Repeatedly in my blogposts, but more importantly (to me, anyway) on the front page of my MA thesis on the Confessor.
I've used bits for my site banner images.
And from one of our regular contributors came this: Well done. This is precisely the sort of thing that the national collection should be doing; enriching the culture of the nation of today by means of images from the public treasury of manuscripts.
Historiated initial (London, British Library, MS Arundel 91, f. 26v).
We've been asked to clarify a couple of issues raised by some of our users. At present, the British Library's policy on the re-use of images in the public domain applies (in the case of our medieval manuscripts) to images downloaded from our Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts and from this blog. Readers who commission or purchase publication-quality images from our Imaging Services should note that they still need permission to reproduce them. Likewise, users should note that the technology behind our Digitised Manuscripts site currently precludes the downloading of images from that resource. This applies to all the manuscripts published as part of our Greek manuscripts, Harley Science and Royal digitisation projects.
Meanwhile, we hope that you continue to find new ways to use our images, so that together we can promote new research and gain new insights into our medieval and early modern heritage.
25 February 2013
Crisp as a Poppadom
Fire is a constant hazard in libraries, and most collections of historic manuscripts have some burnt parchment. Certainly the British Library has its share, including parts of the Cotton collection. Most older manuscripts were written on parchment which, being animal skin, does not respond to heat and water like paper but becomes crisp and wavy, looking somewhat like a poppadom. When a manuscript reaches this stage, there is little conservators can do except house it carefully.
Royal MS 9 C X. One Royal manuscript has deliberately been left unconserved since the Ashburnham House fire (1731) to show the damage done to the collections housed there.
Fortunately, our ancestors knew how to preserve books. Many medieval manuscripts were originally bound in thick oak boards with clasps. When it became customary to store books upright, they were packed close on hardwood shelves. In these conditions, air circulation is limited (denying oxygen to the fire) and the dense materials diffuse heat. Surface charring inhibits the release of volatile gases, delaying combustion. Today we also rely on low oxygen systems to prevent fires.
Cotton Fragments XXXII. Boxes of fragments remain from the 1731 fire; some attributable to specific manuscripts, others found loose in the containers that held the damaged manuscripts.
If parchment has been well made, most of the fats will have been removed from the skin by scraping, leaving a dense mat of collagen fibres which are then stretched flat to dry. When heated, collagen shows little change at first; then the fibres contract swiftly and irreversibly over a small temperature range of just a degree or two (called the shrinkage temperature).
Additional MS 22750. Parchment leaf inlaid in paper. The contrast between the apparently undamaged area and the severely degraded part is very clear, showing the boundary of irreversible changes.
As fire takes hold in a library, a temperature gradient builds across the text-blocks, the centres remaining cooler. This explains the typical pattern of a leaf from a burnt book, the edges shrunken but the centre merely cockled (a response to uneven stresses, like gathering the edges of a piece of fabric). The transition marks the point at which the shrinkage temperature was reached
Cotton Tiberius D V. The text suddenly gets smaller, showing that the parchment has shrunk. The cuts were made during early repairs, so that the leaf could be flattened.
At the leaf edges, which are most exposed to heat, the collagen can be denatured to gelatine, becoming hard and brittle and sometimes forming a glassy exudation which seals the text-block.
Cotton Otho A XIII. Gelatinised parchment. The strips holding the fragment have caused staining and cover part of the text.
Of course, water was used to extinguish historic fires and this causes further damage to parchment. Too much moisture causes reversion to the memory of being animal skin and, unless it is dried under tension again, the parchment swells and cockles. Many books, undamaged by heat, were air-dried after the fire and show this kind of damage. Those that were not dried quickly enough may also be weakened and stained by mould.
Cotton Julius A II. This manuscript has only slight water damage (and possibly not from the fire), though there are indications that the margins were trimmed before rebinding. This was sometimes a “quick fix” to remove blackened edges where text was not compromised.
Early treatment was simply to soak the parchment in water to make it flexible and then stretch and press it. The heat-contracted edges which would not expand were often slashed between lines of text to allow flattening. Sir Humphry Davy (d. 1829) improved on this by suggesting a mixture of “spirits of wine” (alcohol) and water, and such azeotropic mixtures continued in use till very recently, as they allow a controlled application of moisture to rehydrate dry parchment. However, even this is now thought damaging, and cockled parchment will just be allowed to relax in a slightly humid atmosphere, before pressing. Other experiments to try to make the texts more readable have added to the parchment’s degradation.
Cotton Tiberius E VI. An extreme example of cutting into a fragment of a Cotton manuscript in order to flatten it so it could be inlaid. It is also possible to see that the paper frame is starting to cockle as stresses readjust in the parchment fragment.
Typical fire damage leaves the text in the centre of the page readable, but the weak edges are easily broken by handling and it is imperative to protect them to prevent fragments becoming detached. It is estimated that the Beowulf text (Cotton Vitellius A XV) lost some 3000 letters before 1817. It and many other manuscripts were eventually treated by inlaying each leaf in paper, but the strips used to secure the parchment themselves covered more text. The adhesive seems to have been paste, which left stains and is now becoming brittle; the paper frames are degrading too, and often cockling under the pull of the parchment. Other early repair techniques used parchment infills, silk gauze or goldbeater’s skin.
Egerton 2745, f. 165r. Lamination is holding the fragments together and maintaining the relationship of the lines of text, but making it difficult to read. Retreatment is not an option because removing the laminate would cause further damage and the leaf is currently stable.
These methods helped to preserve the fire-damaged manuscripts, but the materials used are now aging. We have become much more cautious when treating parchment since realising that it may be far more degraded than it looks. Moisture can cause gelatinisation; too strong repair materials can pull on and split the weaker skin, adhesives must remain flexible. No wonder that our current emphasis is on sympathetic housing, to slow deterioration and give support to damaged leaves without the dangers of re-treatment.
Cotton Otho A XII. An extremely damaged fragment, now housed in a melinex sleeve.
We are fortunate that fire-damaged parchment manuscripts can now be made available to readers through digitisation, avoiding the risks of further handling. Safe in controlled conditions, we are confident that even after heat, water and incautious early treatments, they will long survive.
Ann Tomalak, Conservation Officer, The British Library
09 February 2013
Treasures Wonderful To Behold
Over the past few years, we've had great pleasure in making many of our books available to view in their entirety on our Digitised Manuscripts site. Periodic announcements have been made on this blog, relating notably to the digitisation of our Greek and Royal manuscripts and to our Harley Science Project. But nothing quite compares to the new treasures now added to Digitised Manuscripts, encompassing the fields of art, literature and science.
And when we say "treasures", we really mean it! The six books in question are none other than (drumroll, please) the Harley Golden Gospels, the Silos Apocalypse, the Golf Book, the Petit Livre d'Amour ... and, um, two others. What were they again? Oh yes, remember now. Only Beowulf and Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook. How could we forget?
The Harley Golden Gospels (London, British Library, MS Harley 2788, f. 71v).
Each of these six manuscripts is a true splendour, and has immense significance in its respective field, whether that be Anglo-Saxon literature, Carolingian or Flemish art, or Renaissance science and learning. On Digitised Manuscripts you'll be able to view every page in full and in colour, and to see the finer details using the deep zoom facility. You can read more about the chosen six in a special feature in the Financial Times Weekend magazine, published on 9 February 2013.
Harley Golden Gospels (Harley MS 2788): this beautiful gospelbook was made in early-9th-century Germany, perhaps at Aachen. The text is written entirely in gold ink, which even today glistens in the light; the sheer wealth of its decoration lends this manuscript its association with the Carolingian royal court.
Beowulf (Cotton MS Vitellius A XV): contains the longest epic poem in Old English, and arguably one of the greatest works of world literature. The manuscript of Beowulf was made around the year AD 1000, and escaped destruction by fire in 1731: the scorch marks are still visible on its pages.
Beowulf (London, British Library, MS Cotton Vitellius A XV. f. 132r).
Silos Apocalypse (Additional MS 11695): this commentary on the Apocalypse was made by monks at the Spanish abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, being started in AD 1091 and completed in 1109. The decoration leaps out from every page, remaining as vivid as the day it was painted.
The Silos Apocalypse (London, British Library, MS Additional 11695, f. 5v).
Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook (Arundel MS 263): compiled between the years c. 1478 and 1518, this notebook deals with many of the subjects close to Leonardo's heart: mechanics, geometry, hydraulics, optics, astronomy and architecture. Written in his characteristic mirror script, one scholar has described Leonardo's book as an "explosion of ideas".
Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook ("Codex Arundel") (London, British Library, MS Arundel 263, ff. 84v + 88r).
Petit Livre d'Amour (Stowe MS 955): Pierre Sala (d. 1529), a valet de chambre of Louis XII of France, made his "Little Book of Love" for his mistress (and subsequently wife) Marguerite Builloud. Who could not have been bowled over by such a gift? The manuscript is still preserved in its original carrying case, inscribed with the letters P and M.
Petit Livre d'Amour (London, British Library, MS Stowe 955, f. 17r).
Golf Book (Additional MS 24098): famous for its depiction of a game resembling golf, this Book of Hours contains a series of miniatures attributable to Simon Bening (d. 1561), one of the greatest Flemish artists.
The Golf Book (London, British Library, MS Additional 24098, f. 20v).
We are delighted to be able to share these six glorious manuscripts with our readers around the world; and we hope in turn that you share them with your friends too. You can also currently see Beowulf, the Harley Golden Gospels and select pages from Leonardo da Vinci's notebook in the British Library's Sir John Ritblat Gallery.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @blmedieval.
10 January 2013
Discover Digitised Manuscripts
While some of our high-grade manuscripts are temporarily unavailable, please take the opportunity to use our Digitised Manuscripts site. We have already uploaded hundreds of manuscripts, digitised in their entirety, including many of our medieval Greek books; some of our scientific manuscripts; and dozens of volumes featured in the British Library's Royal exhibition. Check out some of our greatest medieval books, including one of our most recent acquisitions, the St Cuthbert Gospel. And don't forget to use the deep-zoom facility, which enables users to view the manuscripts as never before!
The late-7th-century St Cuthbert Gospel (Additional MS 89000): note the lack of white gloves!
We are very happy to be able to share our wonderful manuscripts with you -- please pass on the good news, and share them with others.
07 December 2012
The Distinguished Pedigree of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle
Detail of a miniature of a hedgehog; from Jean de Wavrin, Recueil des croniques d'Engleterre, vol. 1, Netherlands (Bruges), 1471-1483, Royal MS 15 E. iv, f. 180r.
The hedgehog is one of the English language's more
picturesquely named animals: the word comes from the hedge where it lives, and
from the appearance of its supposedly hoglike snout. But this term is a relatively recent coinage
in the history of the language – the first recorded uses date only to the
mid-15th century. This is not to say
that the common hedgehog was unknown in the Middle Ages, however. For much of the medieval period it was called
an 'urchin', a term still favoured in some dialects, but most commonly
associated today with the spiky little sea urchin: literally a 'sea
hedgehog'. Even urchins came over with
the Norman invaders, however, ultimately derived from the Latin 'ericius':
before the Conquest, the Anglo-Saxons knew the animal as the Germanic 'igl'.
Detail of a miniature of hedgehogs sticking fallen fruit to their quills and carrying it back to their burrow; from the Rochester Bestiary, England (Rochester?), c. 1230, Royal MS 12 F. xiii, f. 45r.
Hedgehogs, however they were named, were familiar animals,
finding their place in the standard medieval bestiary between the mole and the
ant. Such mundane company does not mean,
however, that their story was not exotic and strange. Hedgehogs were said to creep into vineyards
when the grapes were ripe, to climb the vines and shake the fruit down to the
ground. Then, rather than eating this
bounty on the spot, they would turn onto their backs and roll around, impaling
the grapes with their sharp quills. They
could then trundle off back to their burrows, carrying the grapes on their
spines, as a meal for their young. The
bestiary writers allegorized this as a warning of the clever stratagems of the
devil in stealing man's spiritual fruits.
Detail of a miniature of the hedgehog reproaching the goat for his vanity; from Ulrich von Pottenstein, Spiegel der Weisheit, Austria (Salzburg), c. 1430, Egerton MS 1121, f. 44v.
Despite this unflattering association with the infernal,
hedgehogs were more often depicted favourably than not. The Speculum
sapientiae, or Mirror of Wisdom,
was a Latin text that included a large number of beast fables. In one of the fables, a goat came upon its
own reflection in a pond. The goat,
seeing the horns on his head and his long goat beard, thought himself very
handsome indeed, and began to bleat, boasting of his horny 'crown' and hairy
'necklace'. A passing hedgehog, however,
was less than impressed. If the goat had
impressive horns and beard, he also had an unsightly tail and a foul
temper. A profound humility, the
hedgehog reproached, not vain
boasting, was what made an animal truly noble.
The hedgehog here is chosen as a symbol not of diabolical trickery, but
of an appropriate Christian modesty.
Miniatures of (above) a dormouse and (below) hedgehogs, collecting fruit on their quills; from a bestiary, England (Salisbury?), 2nd quarter of the 13th century, Harley MS 4751, f. 31v.
Nicole Eddy
26 October 2012
What's on Digitised Manuscripts? The Top 10
The British Library's Digitised Manuscripts site, launched in September 2010, is now over two years old. You may not have noticed everything that has appeared online so far, so here are our medieval and early modern highlights, in approximate chronological order:
The St Cuthbert Gospel (Add MS 89000)
Add MS 89000, f. 34r
The Lindisfarne Gospels (Cotton MS Nero D IV)
The Old English Hexateuch (Cotton MS Claudius B IV)
The Theodore Psalter (Add MS 19352)
Add MS 19352, f. 57v
Gerald of Wales (Royal MS 13 B VIII)
Matthew Paris, Historia Anglorum and Chronica maiora (Royal MS 14 C VII)
Royal MS 14 C VII, f. 2r
Sumer Is Icumen In (Harley MS 978)
The Gorleston Psalter (Add MS 49622)
The Smithfield Decretals (Royal MS 10 E IV)
The Psalter of Henry VIII (Royal MS 2 A XVI)
Royal MS 2 A XVI, f. 30r
More content is being added on a regular basis, and updates will appear on this blog and via our Twitter feed, @blmedieval. Which highlights would you have chosen?
24 July 2012
Final Harley Science Manuscripts Published
Pseudo-Dioscorides, Liber medicinae ex herbis femininis (London, British Library, MS Harley 5294, f. 43v).
We are delighted to announce that the remaining manuscripts in our Harley Science Project have now been published to the British Library's Digitised Manuscripts site. All 150 manuscripts in this project have been digitised and recatalogued thanks to the generosity of William and Judith Bollinger. We hope that this resource, part of our ongoing campaign to make our collection items more accessible, will promote new research into the books in question. Many of the texts featured in this project are by authors (such as Aristotle, Bede, Roger Bacon and Thomas Hobbes) who stood at the forefront of antique, medieval and early modern scientific discovery; and we hope sincerely that they would have approved of our mission to make their works more widely available.
Harley 13 Scientific miscellany (England, 13th-16th century)
Harley 524 Collection of sermons and theological tracts, with medical additions (England, 13th century)
Harley 1602 Miscellany including medical treatises, alchemical recipes and charms (England, 14th-17th century)
Harley 2510 Miscellany of texts on rhetoric, astrology and mathematics (Italy and France, 12th-13th century)
Harley 2686 Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae (France, 9th century)
Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae (London, British Library, MS Harley 2686, f. 5r).
Harley 3334 Rolandus Capellutus Parmensis, De chirurgia (England, 14th century)
Harley 3353 Miscellany relating to medicine, alchemy and mathematics (England, 13th-14th century)
Harley 3698 Bernardus de Gordonio, Practica dicta Lilium medicine (France, 14th century)
Bernardus de Gordonio, Practica dicta Lilium medicine (London, British Library, MS Harley 3698, f. 1r).
Harley 3744 Avicenna, Canon Medicinae (Italy and Germany?, 14th-15th century)
Harley 3745 Medical miscellany (France, 14th century)
Harley 3748 Galen, Opera (France or Italy, 14th-15th century)
Harley 3757 Avicenna, Canon Medicinae (Italy, 14th-15th century)
Harley 3799 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 1 (France, 1475)
Harley 3800 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 4 (France, 1475)
Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae (London, British Library, MS Harley 3800, f. 1r).
Harley 3801 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 2 (France, 1475)
Harley 3802 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 3 (France, 1475)
Harley 3803 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 5 (France, 1475)
Harley 3804 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 6 (France, 1475)
Harley 3805 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 7 (France, 1475)
Harley 3806 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 8 (France, 1475)
Harley 3807 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 9 (France, 1475)
Harley 3808 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 10 (France, 1475)
Harley 3809 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae, volume 11 (France, 1475)
Harley 3812 Physician's folding almanac (England, c. 1463)
Physician's folding almanac (London, British Library, MS. Harley 3812, f. 1r).
Harley 3814A Astronomical and astrological miscellany (France and England, 13th-14th century)
Harley 3814B Prayer book (Italy, 15th century)
Harley 3843 Computistical miscellany including texts relating to medicine (England, 15th century)
Harley 3849 Medical miscellany (Germany and France, 13th century)
Harley 3892 Miscellaneous texts on rhetoric, grammar, geometry and divination (Italy, 1400-1454)
Harley 3915 Collection of chemical, alchemical and medical recipes, and texts on the techniques and technology of various arts (Germany, 1200-1444)
Recipes for making ink (London, British Library, MS Harley 3915, f. 148v).
Harley 3969 Works on history, natural history and rhetoric (England, 14th century)
Harley 4114 Jacques Despars, Commentary on Avicenna, Canon Medicinae (France, 1486)
Harley 4235 Thomas Hobbes, The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic (England, 1640)
Harley 4236 Thomas Hobbes, The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic (England, 1640)
Harley 4241 Aristotle, Metaphysica (Germany, c. 1450-1464)
Harley 4346 Medical miscellany (Germany, 12th century)
Harley 4347 The Aphorisms of Hippocrates and other maxims (Ireland, 16th century)
Harley 4350 Astronomical miscellany (France, 13th century)
Robert Grosseteste, De sphera (London, British Library, MS Harley 4350, f. 4r).
Harley 4361 Livre de Sydrac (Italy or France, 13th century)
Harley 4486 A treatise on alchemy and medicine, and the Livre de Sydrac (France? and England, 1350-1631)
Harley 4735 Commentary on Aristotle, Physica; Nicolaus Lakmann, Formalitates (England, 15th century)
Harley 4924 Thomas Osborne, Treatise on arithmetic (England, 1601-1602)
Harley 4970 Aristotle, De animalibus (England, 13th century)
Harley 4973 Jordanus de Nemore, De elementis arismetica artis (France or England, 13th century)
Harley 4977 Medical compendium (France or England, 12th century)
Harley 4982 Constantinus Africanus, Theorica Pantegni (France, 13th-14th century)
Harley 4983 Nicolaus Salernitanus, Antidotarium (France, 13th century)
Harley 4986 Pharmacopeial compilation (Germany, 11th-12th century)
Harley 5098 Constantinus Africanus, Theorica Pantegni (France, 13th century)
Harley 5201 Astrological miscellany (England and Germany, 1150-1524)
Harley 5228 Medical miscellany (England, 12th-13th century)
Harley 5266 Euclid, Elements (Italy, 14th century)
Euclid, Elements (London, British Library, MS Harley 5266, f. 15r).
Harley 5294 Pharmacopeial compilation (England, 12th century)
Harley 5311 Physician's folding almanac (England, c. 1406)
Harley 5325 Helperic of Auxerre, Computus (France or England, 11th-12th century)
Harley 5402 Astrological miscellany (Italy, 12th-14th century)
Harley 5404 Euclid, Elementa (France, 14th century)
Harley 5425 Ars Commentata (France, 13th century)
Harley 5771 Samuel Morland, Élévation des eaux par toute sorte de machines reduite à la mesure, au poids, à la balance (France, 1683)
Harley 6001 Thomas Harriot, Mathematical notes (England, 1621-1654)
Thomas Harriot, Mathematical notes (London, British Library, MS Harley 6001, f. 1r).
Harley 6002 Thomas Harriot, Mathematical notes (England, 1621-1654)
Harley 6046 Commentaries on works of Aristotle and Johannes de Sacro Bosco (?Netherlands, 1605-1606)
Harley 6083 Charles Cavendish, Mathematical papers (England, 1621-1654)
Harley 6258B Medical miscellany (England, 12th century)
Harley 6331 Works of Aristotle (Italy, 14th century)
Harley 6398 Boke of Marchalsi (England, 15th century)
Boke of Marchalsi (London, British Library, MS Harley 6398, f. 1r).
Harley 6485 The Rosie Crucian Secrets attributed to John Dee (England, 1713)
Harley 6858 Thomas Hobbes, The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic (England, 17th century)
Harley 6878 Astronomical and astrological texts (France, 17th century)
Harley 7656 Mathematical and philosophical fragments (England, France and Italy, 13th-15th century)
12 July 2012
How Did We Choose Our Harley Science Manuscripts?
The Emperor Charlemagne kneeling in front of a plant pierced by an arrow, in Giovanni Cadamosto's illustrated herbal. The plant is called 'Carlina' and the caption explains that an angel advised Charlemagne to eat it in order to be purged of poison (London, British Library, MS Harley 3736, f. 20r).
When selecting which Harley science manuscripts to digitise, we decided to interpret the word "scientific" in the broadest terms. One of our goals has been to make as wide a range of material available to as many users as possible, on the grounds that researchers accessing our descriptions and images will be working in different fields. You may have noticed that we have defined "science" to incorporate astrology, astronomy, botany, the computus, mathematics, natural history and veterinary medicine, among other topics. We hope that our selection will cater to most people's tastes.
Below you will find a list of recent additions to the British Library's Digitised Manuscripts website. The manuscripts in question include the works of Alanus ab Insula, Albertus Magnus, Alcuin, Alexander Neckham, Giovanni Cadamosto, Robert Grosseteste and Roger Bacon, and date from the ninth century to the sixteenth. We shall shortly update you on more items digitised as part of our Harley Science Project.
Harley 1 Miscellaneous treatises on astronomy, astrology, mathematics and geometry (England, 13th-14th century)
Harley 6 Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, and Alexander Neckam, Corrogationes Promethei (England or France, 13th century)
Harley 55 Anglo-Saxon miscellany including medical remedies and laws (England, 11th century)
The opening page of Bald's Leechbook (London, British Library, MS Harley 55, f. 1r).
Harley 57 Albertus Magnus, De mineralibus et lapidibus (Italy, 14th century)
Harley 80 Collection of texts on astronomy, optics, astrology and stones (England, 13th-15th century)
Harley 208 Letters of Alcuin and Dungal (France, 9th century)
Harley 273 Compilation of religious and secular texts including charms relating to wounds, bloodletting, fever, cancer, gout, childbirth and toothache (England, 14th century)
Harley 585 Medical miscellany (England, 10th century-11th century)
Harley 625 Collection of astronomical and mathematical treatises and tables (England, 1350-1569)
Harley 866 Miscellaneous texts on rhetoric, mathematics and other sciences (England, c 1390-c 1410)
Alanus ab Insula (Alain de Lille), De planctu naturae (London, British Library, MS Harley 866, f. 17r).
Harley 941 Miscellany including treatises relating to astrology, magic, astronomy and geography (England, 15th century)
Harley 978 Collection of poems and musical, calendrical and medical texts (England, 13th century)
Harley 3719 Collection of astronomical, calendrical, medical and philosophical texts (England, 13th-16th century)
Harley 3734 Toledan tables (Spain, 13th-15th century)
Three circular diagrams, the central of which is a table in red and black, likely for determining the date of Easter. The lower diagram appears unfinished, while the upper circle contains a line drawing in brown of two Franciscan friars and an angel (London, British Library, MS Harley 3734, f. 1v).
Harley 3735 Treatises on astronomy and the computus (England, 1264-1293)
Harley 3736 Giovanni Cadamosto, Herbal, with treatises on food, poisons and remedies, and the properties of stones (Italy or Germany, 16th century)
Harley 3737 Alexander Neckham, De naturis rerum (England, 12th century)
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