Scribitura

Scribitura is a term used in palaeography and manuscript studies to refer to the act or quality of handwriting in a manuscript, or to the script produced by a scribe. Etymologically, it derives from Latin scribitura, meaning the act of writing, from scribere “to write.” In manuscript studies, scribitura designates the scribe’s hand and the specific script style used in a text, including letterforms, ligatures, abbreviations, and layout. Analysts use scribitura to distinguish different hands within a collection, date and localize a manuscript, and assess its provenance and production context. The term can apply to the overall script (for example, uncial, minuscule, chancery) as well as to idiosyncratic features of a single scribe.

In practice, a palaeographer analyzes scribitura by comparing letter shapes, spacing, ruling, ink, and ornamentation. Differences in scribitura across folios can indicate collaboration among scribes, later alterations, or repairs. The concept is closely related to the notions of hands or scripts in codicology and to broader practices of textual transmission in the medieval and early modern periods.

Limitations: scribitura is a specialized term; in English, scholars more often refer to “the scribe’s hand” or “the script.” The term is most common in Latin or European scholarly contexts.

See also: palaeography, codicology, manuscript, scribe, script.