Comparison of Irish/Insular to Carolingian script: A study of four letters.

Development from Irish/Insular to Carolingian script: A study of four letters.

Introduction

In addition to their own Insular script English monastery scriptoria favored several scripts, including Uncial, Semi/Half-Uncial, Rustic Capitals, and eventually Caroline Minuscule, which they used for texts written in Latin. Insular script developed in Ireland and later spread to England and later to other parts of Europe by way of the monks.

Insular /Irish Period

Insular /Irish Script was developed from Semi/Half-uncial with a few variations introduced by Irish and Anglo-Saxon scribes, including triangular ascenders, and script that extends beyond the double bounding lines. A different writing tool was used, which was held at a different angle. Insular script carried monastic scriptoria, and dominated during 750-1050 BCE, even through the development of Caroline Minuscule. It remained popular until the late 11th, early 12th centuries, when Protogothic and Gothic scripts emerged (Muir, 2014).

Scribes, and the Church, were in control of writing manuscripts during the Insular period. Text was written in Latin, and served as a reminder for what was written since it was assumed that those who were literate was familiar with the text, which at the time was predominantly related to the Church (Main, n.d.b). This led to the use of abbreviated text and scripta continua, a continuous line of text that lacked punctuation (Muir, 2014).

Caroline Minuscule

Irish/Insular Minuscule

Carolingian Period

At the request of Charlemagne (c. 747-814 BCE), Carolingian writing was developed in the late 8th, early 9th centuries BCE, during the Carolingian renaissance. He sought to replace the various national/regional hands with a greater clarity of script (Muir, 2014). It was his attempt to unify the increasingly diverse regions under his rule, and to advance Christianity (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2015). Carolingian script was used for all texts, including legal and personal, from 789 BCE, and laid the foundation for modern letters still in use today (Main, n.d.a).

Let’s take a closer look at the transition of four letters.

Irish/Insular

g is shaped like the number 3 with a flat top-stroke (gressu).

gressu

Irish/Insular

When paired with some letters, it creates unique ligatures (glorioisam).

Irish/Insular

b ascenders arch to the side

e is tall and has a (open/closed) loop that rests on the next letter

gloriousam

Carolingian

g has a closed loop and is more recognizable.

Carolingian

e is shortened, has a closed top loop, however, the stroke remains high and is less rounded than the other letters.

b ascender is vertical, and is more recognizable

References:

Encyclopaedia Brittanica. (2015). Charlemagne. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/biography/Charlemagne

Evellum. (2009). The development of Western European handwriting [Powerpoint Presentation]. Retrieved from http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-lmain/restricted/scriptorium2/resources/writing.html

Muir, B. J. (2014). Ductus. Retrieved from http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-lmain/restricted/scriptorium2/resources/writing.html

Main, L. (n.d.a) Carolingian writing: Lecture [video file]. Retrieved from https://sjsu.instructure.com

Main, L. (n.d.b) The medieval world: Lecture [video file]. Retrieved from https://sjsu.instructure.com

consummatum est.

Insular/Irish:

s is shaped like an s, and descends below the base line

two forms of s in gressu

Carolingian:

s is tall, less curved; it ascends and forms a ligature when followed by t