Page - 18 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

18 | Erich Renhart www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 13–32 cheap materials, even for the most noble content. If the only available paper was of low quality, they would have to use it for the Bible and other promi- nent books; if they had no gold-pigmented colour, they would instead use a yellowish dye of vegetable or mineral origin. The technical skills of the people involved in book manufacture contribute to the quality of their production. A high-quality book requires not only pro- fessional scribes and illuminators but also well-trained experts for its sewing and binding (fig. 4). They could help ensure the stability and durability of the book block and protect it with a cover, which might bear highly attractive leather ornamentation. Thus, they too contribute to the physical appearance of the book and to its robustness. Affordability Today we continue to assess how much money we are prepared to spend on a book, and various factors determine the decision we make: whether the book has a hard cover and perhaps a jacket; whether it has thread stitching or an adhesive binding; whether the paper is certified in some way (woodfree coated or uncoated) or is perhaps cheap groundwood paper which will soon degrade and turn yellowish; whether the print is four coloured throughout or only black and white. Such factors are influenced not just by the commission- er’s taste but also by their economic situation. Fig. 3: Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate ms. syr. 39: Gold-lettered header, placed in the upper margins of the page. (Photo: E. Renhart)