This site refers to many medieval manuscripts, mostly bestiaries and aviaries, but also others that incorporate full or partial bestiaries or contain bestiary-related images or text. The manuscripts are of several types, including Bestiaries, Aviaries, Encyclopedias, Miscellanies, Psalters, Missals, and Books of Hours.
The information in the manuscript descriptions has been gathered from a variety of sources. Corrections, comments and additions can be sent to the Webmaster for review.
Manuscript Indexes
The manuscript index is available in several formats; click one of the tabs above to view the format you choose.
Manuscript Categories
You can also explore manuscripts organized general categories.
Bestiary Family: Organized according to a standard classification system that lists Bestiary manuscripts by groups (called "families").
Author: Some manuscripts contain the work of a known (or commonly attributed) author:
Aviarium by Hugh of Fouilloy
Bestiaire by Gervaise
Bestiaire by Guillaume le Clerc
Bestiaire by Philippe de Thaon
Bestiaire by Pierre de Beauvais
Etymologiae by Isidore of Seville
De naturis rerum by Hrabanus Maurus
De proprietatibus rerum by Bartholomaeus Anglicus
Bestiaire d'amour by Richard de Fournival