Single Leaf from Gutenberg Bible

Single Leaf from Gutenberg Bible 1

Material/Specs: Vellum (Calfskin), Black Ink. 2 Columns, 42 lines per page.

Context & Provenance

When It Was Found (Creation Context)

This leaf was found reused as binding material in a 17th-century hymnal acquired by the University of Heidelberg in the 1930s.

Country & Location of Origin

Mainz, Germany

Real History & Interpretation

The Gutenberg Bible marked the start of the Printing Revolution in Europe. This leaf demonstrates Johann Gutenberg's mastery of casting durable, uniform metal type, allowing for mass production of texts that dramatically changed religious and scholarly access to information.

Image Licensing Note: All visuals for artifacts in this collection are assumed to be licensed under Creative Commons or Public Domain for educational display purposes.