Medieval Scripts

The medieval scripts described on the Sexy Codicology website are those listed in the Art & Architecture Thesaurus[1]. This list serves as a well defined starting point and gives us solid foundations for further  expand and describe these medieval scripts. The Art & Architecture Thesaurus follows this hierarchy:

Medieval Scripts

Gothic scripts

  • Bastarda
  • Gothic cursive
  • Textura (Gothic script)

Half uncial

Humanistic scripts

  • Antiqua
  • Humanistic cursive

Insular scripts

  • Insular majuscule
  • Insular minuscule

Later Roman cursive

Merovingian scripts

  • Luxeuil script
  • Merovingian chancery script

Older Roman cursive

Protogothic

Rustic capitals

Square capitals

Uncial

Visigothic minuscule[2]

This list, retrieved from the Art & Architecture Thesaurus Online does not include “Minuscule” and “Majuscule”, as they are defined respectively as Scripts some of whose letters have ascenders or descenders above or below a general base line and top line[3], and Alphabetic scripts whose letters are confined between head and base lines with no ascenders or descenders[4]. Copperplate (script) has also been removed from the list since it represents a style dominant in the 18th century[5] and falls outside of the scope of this “medieval scripts” list.

Additional Resources

References & Footnotes[+]

Become a Patron!