The Codex and Crafts in Late Antiquity

The Codex and Crafts in Late Antiquity examines the structural, technical, and decorative features of the major types of codices—the wooden tablet codex, the single-gathering codex, and the multi-gathering codex. Along with surviving artifacts and iconographic evidence, handmade replicas are used to explore the craft processes applied in the making of these early books. The exhibition presents the codex as an innovation, rather than an invention, that evolved using techniques already widely employed by artisans and craftspeople in the creation of everyday items such as socks and shoes, revealing that the codex was a fascinating, yet practical, development.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.