Dragons in the Margins
Have you ever herd of marginalia?
It refers to marks made in the margins of a book or other document. These may be humble scribbles, or study notes, or even elaborate illustrations as are often found in medieval documents.
I confess I love marginalia and the fascinating stories that are told in it. (If you haven’t read Marginal Cats yet, you might want to take a peek at it too!)
The image below from The British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts is a stunning example of dragons in the margins.
At the bottom of the page, there’s a little scene of a dragon battling a stag. But wait, there’s more! If you look closely, especially along the left hand margin, I can make out at least three more dragons!
I haven’t not been able to find a translation of this manuscript, so unfortunately I do not know what it is about, but I would love to know more of the story behind these marginal dragons!
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