Beyond the velvet cover: textiles and craft in Byzantine bookbinding, lecture by Georgios Boudalis (Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki), Bodleian Library Textiles in Libraries: Context & Conservation Online Lecture Series, November 25, 2021, 4:00–5:00 pm (GMT)

Beyond the sewing structure itself and the rich fabrics used to cover luxurious books, there are more textiles and textile related techniques that have so far remained unnoticed in Byzantine codices. The talk will focus on some techniques little known not only in the context of Byzantine bookbinding but more generally in the context of Byzantine material culture, such as braiding, twining, sumak and tablet weaving. These techniques have been used in Byzantine and similar codices for working endbands, bookmarks and fastenings straps. Beyond providing information on some so far unknown practices and techniques in the context of Byzantine bookbinding, such practices also provide very rare and thus valuable information on the knowledge and use of these techniques in Byzantine textile production.

Advance registration required.