Szirmai, John - The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding

A B C
Figure 2.4 Two alternative methods resulting in link-stitch sewing on three stations, compatible with the fold
pattern [c] in Figure 2.3: [a], one-needle sewing on a paired station (see Figure 2.1 [k]) extended by a third intermediate
station; [b], similarly extended two-needle sewing (see Figure 2.1 [i]). Arrows indicate the beginning of
sewing.
ably represents a variant of [i] in combination with [g] and [h] in Figure 2.1. 6
The sewing
on two paired sewing stations (Figure 2.3[d]) can be obtained by using either sewing [i] or
[k] in Figure 2.1.
Sewing through the centrefolds seems to have been the main principle of connecting
the quires of a multi-quire codex. Still, we know of at least one instance where
quires of single folded sheets (bifolia) had been assembled into a book by stabbing, not
unlike some single-quire codices (see section 1.6). The sewing holes are not in the centrefold,
but a little away from it, as noted by van Regemorter (1955 p. 4) on the Dublin,
Chester Beatty Library Bibl. Pap. I (Gospels and Acts, s. iii, 254 x 204 mm, 120 bifolia). It
remains unsettled how this stitching was done and which materials were used. Lamacraft's
record (1939) of the five codices he studied does not contain any information about the
characteristics of the sewing thread. The thread in the Glazier codex is described as 'very
thin shavings of leather rolled to form a thin cord' (Kebabian 1967 p. 29); this is suggestive
of a material of animal origin (catgut?), often mentioned in connection with threads in
Ethiopian codices, or possibly of a heavily waxed (varnished?) vegetable thread (see section
4.2). Of the sewing thread in the Scheide codex Schenke (1981 p. 9) solely states its veg-