Cassiodorus and the Vivarium
The monastery built in the second quarter of the 6th century under the supervision of Cassiodorus at the Vivarium near Squillace in southern Italy contained a scriptorium, for the purpose of collecting, copying, and preserving texts.
When was the scriptorium invented?
It apparently originated in the 2nd century ad when the codex form of book developed along with the growing use of parchment and vellum as writing surfaces.
What is the purpose of a scriptorium?
Scriptorium is a Latin word that means "place for writing." It was a place where books were copied and illuminated (painted). A scribe wrote the text for a book, and an artist, called an illuminator, painted the pictures and decoration. Scribes and illuminators made each book by hand.
