Manuscripts as treasures across the ages

With winter upon us already and a new year heralding a fresh run of Game of Thrones, researchers, history buffs and fans of the popular medieval fantasy epic can see for themselves nearly two dozen rare medieval and early modern manuscripts this month in Victoria, thanks to an innovative new collaboration between UVic Libraries and Les Enluminures, a firm based in New York, Chicago and Paris which has the largest inventory of text manuscripts and miniatures from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. UVic is the first Canadian institution to partner with Les Enluminures.

The collection of 21 manuscripts will be used for teaching in the coming term at UVic. The items span from the 13th century onwards; in many languages including Latin, French and vernacular; with non-Western European cultures represented by manuscripts from Greece and Ethiopia; and with subject matter ranging from liturgy and lives of saints to canon law, school books and humanism, to name only a few.

The manuscripts are on loan to UVic until May 1, 2017, allowing students and faculty a rare opportunity to work with these primary sources. The public can also view the manuscripts, along with various treasures from the library’s collections, Friday, Dec. 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. More info

Participation in this unique program is made possible by UVic doctoral student and library donor Brian Pollick, who donated the initial funds to create the Medieval Manuscript Fund at the UVic Libraries.

Twitter @UVicLib
Follow on Facebook
Visit the library website

Members of the media are invited to a photo opportunity and interviews Thursday, Dec. 15 with Director of UVic Special Collections & University Archivist Lara Wilson, at 10 a.m. in the Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room (A005), Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library at UVic.

-- 30 --