Before printing, texts were copied by hand. A manuscript is a document written by hand rather than printed, especially one of historical, literary, or documentary importance. Materials range from papyrus and parchment to paper.

Medieval manuscripts may be richly illuminated or modest working copies. They preserve literature, law, liturgy, science, and administration that would otherwise have vanished. Paleography and codicology study the scripts, formats, and production methods that allow dating and localization.

Manuscripts remain essential primary sources even for periods after the invention of print, since many unique records were never published. Digitization has widened access while conservation challenges persist. Each manuscript is both a carrier of text and an artifact of the culture that produced it.

• Handwritten document of historical value
• Produced on papyrus, parchment, or paper
• Studied for text and physical form
• Key primary source for many periods