Provisional Drogereit pdf

1. Anglo-Saxon Script in the 10 th Century up until Eadgar’s Death (p. 342)
Hss. 42 :
Beginning of 10 th Century New. Pal. Soc. 6-8 Wessex (?) 890 – 897
New. Pal. Soc. 134
New. Pal. Soc. 187
Winchester
From ca. 935-950 New. Pal. Soc. II, 62 Winchester (probably)
End of the 950s Pal. Soc. I, 240
Eadgar’s time:
New. Pal. Soc. 9 Wessex (probably)
Anglo-Saxon. New. Pal. Soc. 135
New. Pal. Soc. 210
Winchester
Latin Pal. Soc. I, 46 Winchester
Pal. Soc. I, 142-144 Winchester
New.Pal. Soc. 83 Winchester
Charter script, which does not differ from the script used for books 43 , is the familiar
Anglo-Saxon pointed script. Particular characteristics include the triangular
thickenings, especially noticeable at the left upper end of the ascender, but also where
there are other vertical strokes, as well as numerous descenders tapering to a point.
Some rump letters 44 , especially t, have a point-shaped end of the main stroke, which is
why Thompson calls the script “pointed”. 45 The letters are longer rather than wide,
comparatively small and close together 46 . The letters , , with their descenders and
the with its horizontal head give the alphabet its character.
At the start of the 10 th Century the shafts lose their needle-sharp points 47 , but do still
taper to a point. The individual letters are moving apart and taking on a more defined
shape. The writing is noticeably more regular, but at the same time more angular and
stiffer. The hair strokes and main strokes are becoming similar in thickness, often so
wide that an even thickness of all strokes and curves is mostly achieved.
42 These charters are dealt with both in the general discussion and under each individual scribe.
43 E. M. Thompson, An Introduction to Greek and Latin Palaeography, Oxford 1912, p. 505. For the
10 th Century in particular, p. 512: “From this time onward (904) there is but little distinction to be
observed between the Anglo-Saxon script as shown in the charters and the same written as a
bookhand”. See also W. Keller, loc sit, Preface and p. 32.
44
By rump letters we mean the small letters written between the second and third lines i.e. without
joining elements or shafts.
45 Thompson, Introduction, p. 386.
46 Fr. Steffens, Lateinishe Paläographie 2 , (Latin Palaeography)Trier 1909. Introduction, p. XIV.
47 W. Keller, loc sit, p. 24.
342