A Guide to Western Historical Scripts from Antiquity to 1600

A survey of the evolution of scripts and a guide to reading historical documents illustrated from a wide range of manuscripts. Each is accompanied by a commentary identifying the type of script, its historical and regional currency, distinctive features and style and a transcription.

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A survey of the evolution of scripts and a guide to reading historical documents illustrated from a wide range of manuscripts. Fifty-five full-page plates give examples of the major western scripts in broadly chronological sequence, each accompanied by a commentary indentifying the type of script, its historical and regional currency, distinctive features and style, and a transcription. Michelle Brown is a curator in the department of manuscripts at The British Library. She has taught courses in Paleography and History at the University of London and at the Library.