By Pat Fox and Caitlin Moore

For our recent exhibit in Uris Library, Book and Paper Conservation at Cornell University, we decided to explore a historic structure that is a link between scrolls and modern bindings.

Coptic bindings were first produced in the 2^nd century AD by the Egyptian Christians called Copts. The Copts popularized a way to bind together several folded sheets of papyrus using a series of linked stitches forming a chain. This codex format is what we know as a book. It evolved from Roman diptychs, hinged wooden tablets coated with wax.

Courtesy of WikiMedia

The codex was easier to use than a scroll because it opened flat to any page, and both sides of the pages could be written on. By the 6^th century AD, scrolls had been replaced in Western culture by codices.

Exposed spines of machine sewn books

The link stitch is very similar to the machine sewing used today to produce publisher’s hard cover books.  We chose to produce models of this binding style because the exposed spine makes the book structure visible.

detail of machine sewing

two colored sewing

 This book is bound with a two colored greek coptic stitch using 4 needles and two colors of thread.

detail of greek coptic stitch

preparing to join the halves of the two part greek binding

This book is sewn with the same linked stitch but the halves are sewn independently and then joined with a figure eight shaped knot.  Each half was sewn with 6 needles and the knot to join them required 12 needles.

detail of greek sewing with joining knot

Please join us on July 25, 10:00am in the lower level of Uris Library for a tour of the exhibit!

Davenport, C. (1907) The Book Its History and Development, London, Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd.

Diringer, D. (1953) The Hand-Produced Book, London, Hutchinson’s Scientific and Technical Publications.

Greenfield, J. (1998) ABC of Bookbinding, New Castle, Delaware, Oak Knoll Press.

Smith, K. (1995) Non Adhesive Binding, Vol. 3: Exposed Spine Sewings, Rochester, New York, keith smith BOOKS.