Illuminated Letters
More Illuminated Manuscripts survive than any other artifact from the Middle Ages. They were being made during a period of 1,500 years—between the late Roman Empire and the High Renaissance. Until the 11th or 12th Century, most manuscripts were made my monks in cloisters. Strictly speaking, an “Illuminated” Manuscript contains gold or silver which reflects the light. After practicing calligraphy for several weeks, Fifth Graders chose a letter to Illuminate using the metal repoussé technique.