Blog 3/5 "The Papyrus Roll in Egypt, Greece, and Rome"

Summary

1)    Where and how papyrus was made: Papyrus sheets originated near the beginning of Egypt’s Old Kingdom. It was made from the papyrus plant growing in the swamps of the Nile Delta using two methods. Both methods required cutting the stalk into 25-35 cm pieces and the removal of the outer, tougher green sheath of the plant. The simpler technique consisted of just cutting the pith into long strips to be joined later in order to form the flat page. The more complicated technique required a needle in order to cut along the outer edge of the stem, thus peeling a wider strip of papyrus.

2)    The difference of how scribes were viewed in the Greek and Roman worlds vs. the Egyptians: The Greeks and Romans did not find a scribe’s work meaningful or worthwhile (enough to even include the act of copying in paintings). The Egyptians, on the other hand, believed scribes to be significant members of society and show a scribe at work within their arts. Afterwards, the Greeks and Romans changed their viewpoint to match that of the Egyptians when scribes began copying religious works.

3)    Books became a symbol of knowledge, status, and power:  Only the wealthy had the ability to become literate, thus reading was associated with the upper class. Those that could be seen reading were of a better standing than those whom were illiterate, no matter the book content. Even King Aemilius Paullus marched the defeated King Perseus’ library collection though the town of Pydna triumphantly demonstrating, that not only is his power greater than Perseus’, but that he will be even greater with this new gain of knowledge.

Comment

The only suggestion I have, format-wise, considering the wide range of information covered, is to insert some subheadings into this chapter. It would separate the information a bit more making it visually easier on the eyes and easier to locate certain information. There were also certain facts that were thrown in, but not really expanded upon or made relevant afterward. For example, Roemer begins talking about a poet, Callimachus, in one paragraph and how his Pinakes is the first ever library catalogue then she switches to explaining how books were the status symbol of the monarchs.

Question

If a scribe’s work came, eventually, to be revered as it’s own form of art (enough so to be ornamented) were the illuminator seen as a step down from a scribe within the social ladder?

Was the disdain felt once by scribes relocated to the illuminators?