Islamic Codicology: Studying the Manuscript as Artifact
This post shares selected slides from my lecture, Islamic Codicology: Studying the Manuscript as Artifact. The images presented here are taken directly from the PowerPoint and are intended to stand on their own as visual references to the themes addressed in the lecture. Together, they highlight the material dimensions of Islamicate manuscripts and invite viewers to consider the book as a physical object shaped by processes of manufacture, use, and preservation. Attention to elements such as paper, binding structures, layout, and wear underscores how codicological evidence contributes to our understanding of historical reading practices and knowledge transmission. The slides reflect an approach that treats the manuscript as an artifact embedded in social and intellectual contexts, rather than as text alone.
