Why were manuscripts so expensive in the early fifteenth century?

In the early fifteenth century, manuscripts were so expensive because they were all individually handwritten. There was no printing press yet, so each book had to be written by hand. This was a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, which meant that manuscripts were very expensive to produce. Additionally, manuscripts often contained elaborate illustrations, which added to the cost.

Here are some of the specific reasons why manuscripts were so expensive:

* Materials: The materials needed to make a manuscript were expensive. Parchment, which was made from animal skins, was the most common writing surface. It was expensive because it was time-consuming to prepare and required skilled labor. Other writing surfaces, such as vellum (a finer quality of parchment) and paper, were also expensive.

* Labor: The labor involved in writing a manuscript was also expensive. Scribes, who were skilled writers, were paid high wages. The amount of time it took to write a manuscript varied depending on the length of the text, the complexity of the illustrations, and the skill of the scribe.

* Illustrations: Many manuscripts contained elaborate illustrations, which added to the cost. The illustrations were often painted by hand, and they could be very time-consuming and labor-intensive to produce.

* Binding: The binding of a manuscript also added to the cost. The binding was often made of leather or wood, and it was often decorated with gold or silver.

As a result of all of these factors, manuscripts were very expensive in the early fifteenth century. Only wealthy individuals and institutions could afford to own them.