"Part of the reason a lot of people figure nothing much went on during the Middle Ages is because we've lost a whole lot of sources telling us what actually did happen. Through malice and misfortune, medieval manuscripts have been destroyed in their thousands. So, how do we know what may have gone up in smoke? And what can we do to keep our beloved manuscripts safe?"
"This week, Danièle speaks with Robert Bartlett about the manuscripts we've lost by accident and by design, and how these precious documents are being preserved today. Robert Bartlett is Professor of Mediaeval History Emeritus at the University of St Andrews. His new book is History in Flames: The Destruction and Survival of Medieval Manuscripts."
Many medieval sources have been lost, leaving gaps in knowledge about the Middle Ages. Medieval manuscripts were destroyed through malice and misfortune in their thousands, erasing firsthand records of events, practices, and ideas. The loss complicates reconstruction of historical narratives and biases surviving evidence toward what happened to survive. Preservation of surviving manuscripts is essential to protect cultural memory and scholarly research. Robert Bartlett holds the title Professor of Mediaeval History Emeritus at the University of St Andrews. His book, History in Flames: The Destruction and Survival of Medieval Manuscripts, examines causes of loss and efforts to safeguard remaining material.
Read at Medievalists.net
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