My MESA
Creative Commons License
This exhibit has not been peer reviewed.  [Return to Community]  [Printer-friendly Page] 

Elena Sparger: Intro to Manuscripts Midterm

emsparger

Scribal Error and Correction, Continued: Other Methods of Correction

Scribes used many other methods of correction when checking over their work. Rather than attempting to fit corrections in between lines of text, scribes would sometimes use a pairing system to connect corrections made within the margins to the errors within the text. Early on, a commonly used method for this was to write "hd" or "hs" next to an error in the text, linking it to a correction written in the lower or upper margin. However, Latin scribes became confused by this and eventually began using them incorrectly. Instead, scribes began to use signes-de-renvoi, pairing errors and corrections using symbols.
Coloured initials, and, in the right-hand column, an example of a corrected mistake. The scribe left a space for a coloured initial, and wrote the letters 'PM' with an abbreviation mark. The artist later painted a green initial 'S', because 'SPM' is a com
Coloured initials, and, in the right-hand column, an example of a corrected mistake. The scribe left a space for a coloured initial, and wrote the letters 'PM' with an abbreviation mark. The artist later painted a green initial 'S', because 'SPM' is a com
Illuminated initial 'A', with a correction in the margin by the second column and an arm with a pointing hand indicating where the verses should be inserted.
Illuminated initial 'A', with a correction in the margin by the second column and an arm with a pointing hand indicating where the verses should be inserted.
(Clemens & Graham p. 37-38)