While there has been renewed scholarly interest in paratextual
features of early Christian manuscripts, that interest has rarely
extended to the size of manuscripts, particularly the format known as
the miniature codex. Such neglect is surprising given that this
miniature format was a notable part of early Christian textual
culture, emerging as early as the second century and visible well into
the seventh century and beyond. So established was this format among
Christians during this period, that C.H. Roberts once surmised
(incorrectly) that, "The miniature codex would seem to be a Christian
invention."
Many of these tiny books were elegant, well-crafted, and could contain
a surprising number of pages. Currently, we have over 60 such codices,
which contain a wide range of Christian literature including New
Testament books, patristic and non-canonical writings (e.g., the
Didache, Acts of Paul, and apocryphal gospels), and even
liturgical-ritual texts. This volume is the first full-length
monograph on the phenomenon of the miniature codex, offering a
framework for distinguishing miniature codices from other tiny texts
(e.g. amulets), exploring their practical and iconic functions, and,
perhaps most importantly, assembling a detailed catalogue of all known
Christian and Greek miniature codices. This distinctive book format
provides an essential window into the textual, literary, and visual
culture of early Christianity, shedding fresh light on how and why
Christians were considered people of the book.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780198940401
Publisert
2025
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Oxford University Press Academic UK
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter