Merovingian Wrtiting
Merovingian originated in central Europe under the ruler
Charlemagne. It evolved under the fall of Rome and was used in the seventh and eighth
century. This style is one of the most difficult to read since its characters
are quite complex.
It was called "deliberately illegible and
inimitable" (Larchmont, n.d). Merovingian has thin intersecting lines
which made it impossible to forge any text. It was considered to be the main
writing hand of France.
The four major centers of the script were Laon, Luxeil,
Corbie and Chelles. Each of which developed from uncial and half-uncial.
The image on the left is the Merovingian alphabet copied from Luxeil Lectionary in the eighth century, while the image on the right is a very fine Merovingian Minuscule.
Merovingian was used in the imperial chancery until the twelfth
century.
Evolution of
the Latin Alphabet, 2014. Merovingian. [ONLINE]
Available at: http://alphabetevolution.rifai.ru/pages/merovingian_05.htm.
[Accessed 21 April 2014].
Merovingian
Calligraphy, 2014. N.A [ONLINE]
Available at: http://housebarra.com/EP/ep07/10calli.html. [Accessed 21 April 2014].
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