Patterns and the Visual Organisation of Written Artefacts

Occasional Paper 11

Patterns and the Visual Organisation of Written Artefacts

The production and use of written artefacts are subject to many conventions, which are often taken for granted but which are vital for ensuring that a written artefact can perform its role within a particular writing (and reading) culture. These conventions operate on multiple, interrelated levels: content, material, and visual organisation. Focusing on visual organisation, this article explores how the spatial arrangement of visual signs interacts with the form and format of written artefacts, including layout, structure, and mise en texte. Special attention is given to multigraphic artefacts, which pose particular challenges for both producers and users.

Central to the paper’s approach is the concept of pattern, which was first introduced to the comparative study of written artefacts in Occasional Paper 3. Patterns signal the application of interpretive frameworks that shape the production, perception, and use of written artefacts. This paper explores the significance of patterns of visual organisation for the transmission and shaping of content and also offers a basis for comparative analysis within and across writing cultures.

CSMC's Occasional Papers

The Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures regularly hosts meetings to discuss the theory, terminology and other issues in manuscriptology. Several of its members – philologists, historians, art historians, linguists and others – collectively engage in contributing to the systematic and historical study of manuscript cultures. The documents are individual contributions and drafts reflecting some of the provisional results of the Centre’s activities.