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Coptic Stitch BindingMain MenuThe Coptic StitchA Brief HistoryAbout This BookAboutHistoric Coptic Bindings2nd - 4th century AD leather wrapped coptic bindingsModern Coptic Bindings21st century bindingsMedia GalleryElizabeth Grab1661050aaf36e77197158091d90613a24dc9062eElizabeth Grab
Link-stitch 1
12016-02-11T00:31:41-08:00Elizabeth Grab1661050aaf36e77197158091d90613a24dc9062e81492Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding, Zsirmaiplain2016-02-11T00:33:39-08:00Elizabeth Grab1661050aaf36e77197158091d90613a24dc9062e
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12016-02-10T04:53:11-08:00Elizabeth Grab1661050aaf36e77197158091d90613a24dc9062eHistoric Coptic Bindings122nd - 4th century AD leather wrapped coptic bindingsplain2016-02-11T00:42:33-08:00Elizabeth Grab1661050aaf36e77197158091d90613a24dc9062e
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12016-02-10T04:53:11-08:00Historic Coptic Bindings122nd - 4th century AD leather wrapped coptic bindingsplain2016-02-11T00:42:33-08:00 The Nag Hammadi Codices hold significance not just because of their age (3rd/4th century AD), but also because they inspired a fervor of enthusiasm for gnostic texts upon their announcement in 1949 (discovered in 1945). The dominant theory states suggests that the burial of the texts was spurred by the condemnation of Bishop Anthanasius in 367 AD for his use of non-canonical texts.
The bindings themselves are single quire volumes were tacketed to a limp leather wrappers stiffened with layers of papyri. The wrappers were clearly meant primarily for protection, since the edges extended over the edges of the text block and many of the volumes show evidence of a wrapping band.
Coptic bindings incorporated multiple quires were also in use as early as the 2nd century. To join the quires, making a solid text block, the binders used a link-stitch that attached to the cover boards "by means of the extensions of the leather back strip." The link-stitch came in several formats (Zsirmai 17), as seen below. Use of these stitches, and new interpretations of them, are still utilized by contemporary book artists.
