> Many images show a scribe holding two tools, a quill, or something else to write with, and a second tool in his left hand. I have asked >many people about that second tool, and >nobody seems to know what it is. Can anyone tell me what that second tool is?
I can't consider myself as an "expert" but I think I may have the correct answer for you. The other tool is, indeed, a pen knife. It was used to shape the pen tip, cut/squaring the sheets and probably to hold firm the sheets while writing (as they were not already binded together). To have a better idea of how it should look like, here you can see a pic of a medieval "scribe set", based on historical sources, that I've replicated for historical reenactment purposes: https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/426407_414448431974315_1457671472_n.jpg?oh=3024521892421766eadaccea4a089870&oe=5A0A82B9 Hope this helps Giovanni Rotondi ****** Unsubscribe by sending a message to [email protected] Searchable archives: http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/
