Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #scribal
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I posted this way back on my Instagram account but thought it would be of interest here: an #Arabic #inscription on Sé Velha de Coimbra (Old Cathedral of #Coimbra, #Portugal). (Photo of inscription taken by me). 1/7 
It reads كتبت وقد ابقيته لشكايتي ستفنا يدي يوما ويبقا كبر ('I wrote this as a permanent record of my suffering; my hand will perish one day, but greatness will remain'). This inscription and others from Portugal were published by A.R. Nykl (jstor.org/stable/4515632…). 2/7
This poetic lament is common to #scribal traditions in #manuscripts. Typically, the scribe reflects on the fleeting nature of this life and the enduring nature of the written word (cf. Verba volant, scripta manent!). Here are some examples (info in captions): 3/7
