Handmade scrolls and texts are absolutely gorgeous to look at. Each page is completely unique because multiple people were copying the same text. We are very lucky to still be able to enjoy this art form. Below you will find links to period manuscripts, instructions for learning to do your own illumination and even some beautiful period artwork that you can buy if you are so inclined (Or just look at it for reference).
Alla serenis.ma madama la granduchessa madre Gallileo [sic] Galilei
Antiphonarium and breviarium – 15th Century
Asia extrema : entra nella a fé promulgas a ley de Deus pelos padres da Companhia de Jesus
De conflictu viciorum – 15th Century
Fenestella : de Romanorum magistratibus – 15th Century
Greek Gospel lectionary – 1050 (?)
Emaki: the illuminated manuscripts of medieval Japan Some great samples as well as links to museums for sources.
Keio University – Japanese Culture Through Rare Books Includes video with the Professor explaining the scrolls.
L’uso dell’archimetro, del sig.or Ostilio Ricci da Fermo – pre 1603
Maḥazor le-Sukot – 14th Century
A Survey of Medieval Russian Manuscript Illumination By Marya Kargashina
P. Rashi ʻal ha-Torah – 1040-1105
Pisḳe Bava metsiʻa leha-Rosh zatsal 1250-1327
Increasing the Visibility of Slavic Medieval Manuscripts
University of British Columbia – Medieval Manuscripts on the Web
Scene from “Channel Buoys” (Miotsukushi), chapter 14 of the Tale of Genji
A Long Tale for an Autumn Night (Aki no yo nagamonogatari)
Scene from The Illustrated Legends of Jin’ōji Temple (Jin’ōji engi emaki)
Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Tenjin Shrine (Kitano Tenjin engi emaki)
The Illustrated Sutra of Past and Present Karma (Kako genzai inga kyō emaki)
Medieval Chronicles – Calligraphy
Calligraphy Skills – Alphabets Descriptions and tutorials
Theodor Jung – Medieval Calligraphy 1310-1500
Rules of Benedictine Nuns – 1550
Sefer Halakhot pesuḳot – 8th Century
Seymour de Ricci Bibliotheca Britannica Manuscripta Digitized Archive
DMMapp – Digitized medieval manuscripts app Links to more than 500 libraries worldwide that all contain medieval manuscripts you can browse for free
Sexy Codicology – A World of Illuminated Manuscripts and Medieval Books Follow them on Facebook too
Gallica – Les Champion des Dames This book also contains the first image of a witch riding a broomstick
1440 Witch riding a broomstick
e-codices – Virtual Manuscript Library of Switzerland
Digital Medieval Manuscripts at Houghton Library Harvard
University of Heidelberg – Digital Manuscripts
The Welcome Library – Digital Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts Collection This one is huge. Everything from Alchemy – Works on Regimen. Including medical texts I have not seen elsewhere online.
Bavarian State Library Digital Collections
The Book of Ornamental Alphabets, Ancient and Medieval, from the Eighth Century
The ancient and valuable collection of the G. Castelnuovo Library 32 works dating from 1482-1687
Engineering, technique and architecture – Manuscripts dating from 1518-1817 24 works
Manuscripts Online Written works from 1000-1500. Searchable resource
Monastic Manuscript Project Internet Resources for the Study of Early Medieval Monasticism
Boston Public Library Collections of Distinction
University of Pennsylvania Schoenberg Collection Youtube channel introducing the manuscripts
Xenia's Medieval Miscellany 