As we have already seen in our deep dive into the history, purpose, and overall existence of the C III, this manuscript has seen its fair share of bindings.
But here we are looking at the actual binding of this patchwork manuscript.
The C III was rebound in 1977 in the British Library where it is stored and where it was digitized for purposes such as our own.
None of this is new information in these posts.
However, the technical aspects of the manuscript itself are, in fact, something we have yet to discuss.
Given the nature of the C III’s literary content, it makes sense that there may be disparity in its physical content as well.
Ultimately, the C III’s folios are made of parchment, which would have been the go-to material for bookmaking during the majority of the centuries it spans. This differs with the first page, which is a simple sheet of paper with the owner’s name inscribed upon it.
There are also sheets of wax paper at the beginning and end of the manuscript.
Regrettably, there is no available information on the C III’s original bindings or organization, though it should be noted that it was likely rebound in an effort to conserve the contents of the manuscript rather than its binding.
Cotton MS Vitellius C III 