Before the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in Germany in the mid-15th century, almost all manuscripts in Europe were hand written. In the Middle Ages, the majority of manuscripts were written on parchment, made of animal skins (especially calf, sheep, and goat), and were usually collected in the form of books (also called codex), which had largely replaced scrolls by the early Middle Ages. Paper was then introduced from China to Europe via the Islamic world in the 14th century, and had mostly replaced parchment by the time of the Printing Revolution. Papyrus, the paper format popularized in Ancient Egypt, was known in Europe and used around the Mediterranean region until the Middle Ages, however it was very susceptible to the humidity of Northern regions and, even in dryer regions of the Middle East, it rarely survived beyond one or two centuries.
Estimates regarding the number of manuscripts produced in Europe during the Middle Ages are largely speculative and it is believed that a considerable share of the total manuscripts produced were not preserved. Based on the given figures, Italy and France were the regions where the largest number of manuscripts were produced during the Middle Ages - this is indicative of the strong influence of the Catholic Church on literary production during this time, as it is believed that the Christian Bible was the most produced and studied work of the Middle Ages.
Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE
*The source gave separate figures for each country or region. According to a separate source, figures for Central & Northern Europe refer to the regions of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, as well as separate entries for Bohemia and Moravia (Czechia).
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ResearchGate, & The Journal of Economic History. (June 1, 2009). Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 07, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/
ResearchGate, und The Journal of Economic History. "Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE." Chart. June 1, 2009. Statista. Accessed December 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/
ResearchGate, The Journal of Economic History. (2009). Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/
ResearchGate, and The Journal of Economic History. "Total Number of Manuscripts Produced in Various Regions of Western Europe in Each Century between 500 and 1499 Ce." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jun 2009, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/
ResearchGate & The Journal of Economic History, Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/ (last visited December 07, 2024)
Total number of manuscripts produced in various regions of Western Europe in each century between 500 and 1499 CE [Graph], ResearchGate, & The Journal of Economic History, June 1, 2009. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1394867/europe-manuscript-production-century-region-historical/