About
Learn about Gallery of Glosses
Who We Are
The Gallery of Glosses is an open-access digital platform devoted to revealing the richness of the medieval era through a meticulous study and interpretation of glosses from 12th-century manuscripts.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bridge the gap between past and present, connecting today's scholars, students, and enthusiasts with the scholars of the medieval era whose voices have been 'lost to the margins for centuries'.
Our Collection
We curate a broad collection of annotated manuscripts, primarily from the Gospel of Matthew, enabling a deeper understanding of the thought processes, ideas, and creative doodles of medieval minds.
For Educators and Students
We provide an immersive experience that allows students to engage directly with historical texts, fostering the development of translation and transcription skills, and offer educators a wealth of source material for their courses.
Our Legacy
With the Gallery of Glosses, we hope to have created a project with longevity, shedding light on medieval scholarship in a way that resonates through the centuries and influences future interpretations.
What is a Gloss?
A gloss is a note or explanation inserted in the margins or between lines of a text to explain, translate, or expand on difficult or complex passages. They serve as a valuable insight into the scholarly and interpretative practices of the past, providing context and interpretations for text that can aid in our understanding of medieval theology, philosophy, and law.
Why Study Glosses?
Glosses provide a unique perspective on the ways medieval scholars understood and interpreted canonical texts. By studying these annotations, we gain insights into the intellectual landscape of the medieval period, and how scholars grappled with the complexities of the texts they studied.