1. Handwritten book that has been lavishly decorated with designs and miniature pictures

2. All books were hand written. Latin for hand is “manus” Latin for writing is “scriptum”…. Gives us the term “manuscript” Extremely slow and demanding job; sometimes creatively glorious and always very expensive. The most expensive manuscripts were illuminated (lit up by decorations).

3. Originally denoted the embellished text of these handwritten books with gold, more rarely silver. Gives the impression that the page has been literally illuminated.

4. Two different jobs of writing books: Those who historiated and Those who illuminated. Historiated: those who illustrated texts by relevant paintings Illuminated: those who supplied a book with decorated work that embellished initial capital letters and often spilled into the margins and borders: almost always using gold The two sometimes overlapped.

5. Talking To The King Circa 1350, An illuminated page from the 14th century French manuscript entitled 'Les Merveilles du Monde'. The picture shows Guillaume de Mandeville (William of Mandeville) talking to the King in front of a medieval castle. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -- Image Date: 02/01/1754 -- Image Date: 02/01/1754

6. AUSTRIA - JANUARY 01: Emperor Charlemagne and his wife. Detail from an illuminated manuscript page. Abbey Library, St.Paul im Lavanttal, Austria. (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images) [Karl der Grosse mit seiner Frau, Portrait, Detailaufnahme einer Buchseite (9. Jhd.), Bibliothek des Benediktinerstifts St. Paul im Lavanttal]

7. A Face Specialist Circa 1280, An illuminated manuscript depicting a face specialist and his patient. (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Getty Images) -- Image Date: 02/01/1754 -- Image Date: 02/01/1754

8. Circa 1050, An illuminated page from the Gospels of King Canute, an 11th century manuscript consisting of 150 leaves of vellum. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

9. Page of illuminated manuscript from the Chronicle Of Jean Froissart Showing a battle before a chateau, said to be the Battle Of Guersey, Published in 1400s. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images).

10. Pretend you are an illuminating artist! =) You are to write your own short tale about Medieval Times or The Renaissance. This should only be about one paragraph. The possibilities are endless… tell a short story about a princess, a king, a serf, a knight… tell about their life, their job, their feelings, their heroic battle….Make it up or use historical evidence! The first letter in your story should be much larger than the rest of the letters and extremely elaborate. You should also have a miniature picture on the page with an elaborate border.