Before the invention of mechanical printing, books were handmade objects, treasured as works of art and as symbols of enduring knowledge.
Every stage in the creation of a medieval book required intensive labor, sometimes involving the collaboration of entire workshops. Parchment for the pages had to be made from the dried hides of animals, cut to size and sewn into quires; inks had to be mixed, pens prepared, and the pages ruled for lettering. A scribe copied the text from an established edition, and artists might then embellish it with illustrations. The most lavish medieval books were bound in covers set with enamels, jewels, and ivory carvings