Through a partnership with Professor Josh Smith, Special Collections recently acquired several examples of medieval manuscripts, including those with illuminated text. This “teaching collection” provides students and other researchers the opportunity to interact with leaves from books of hours, Psalters, and other common examples of pre-modern European text sources. Although none of these manuscripts are available as complete codices, they provide tangible experiences with the history of the book.

Access to the collection is available by appointment through the Special Collections reading room. Policies and procedures for accessing archives in Special Collections apply. Created in collaboration with Professor Josh Smith.

Images of all of the folios are available on the Special Collections' Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/arkansasspecoll/albums/72157675781310325.

1. Monastic Psalter, France, ca. 1220. Portions of Psalms 140-145. Six folio pages bound together.
2. Single folio from Bible, Italy, ca. 1250.
3. Gregory the Great, homilies on Ezekiel, Italy, mid-13^th century.
4. Ferial Psalter from Southern England, ca. 1450.
5. Calendar leaf for April from book of hours, mid-15^th century. Includes notations by members of the Dumensil family.
6. Grand folio Missal, Northern France, ca. 1475.
7. Folio on paper from Koran, ca. 1800.
8. Large fragment from Antiphonal, Sienna.
9. Three folios from book of hours, mid-15^th century, including illustrated reading from gospel of St. Matthew.
10. The Passion of St. Eliphius, from manuscript from Germany, mid-15^th century.
11. Leaf from Missal, German, mid-15^th century.
12. Calendar leaf from French book of hours, late 15^th century.
13. English Psalter of Flemish influence, ca. 1325.