This is a list of Serbian manuscripts (Serbian: Српски рукописи), containing important works attributed to Serbia or Serbs. The majority of works are theological, with a few biographies and constitutions. The works were written in Cyrillic, except some early works in the Glagolitic script.
The number of early Serbian manuscripts, that is, those made before the end of the 14th century, is estimated at 800–1,000. The number of Serbian manuscripts dating between the 12th and 17th centuries that are located outside Serbia is estimated at 4,000–5,000. The largest number of the manuscripts are located in Europe. The largest and most important collection is housed at the Hilandar on Mount Athos. Next, the second largest collection is most likely found in Russia, where hundreds of manuscripts are held.[1] More than a thousand of medieval manuscripts were destroyed during the German bombing of Belgrade (1941).[2] The Digital National Library of Serbia (NBS) has digitalized several manuscripts, included at their website.
Work | Date (original) | Author or editor | Description | Digital copy |
---|---|---|---|---|
Codex Marianus[3] | 975–1025 | Unknown | Gospel Book (In Glagolitic) | |
Hilandar Fragments | late 10th–early 11th century | Unknown | Sermon | |
Gršković's fragment of the Acts of the Apostles | 12th century | Unknown | (In Glagolitic) | |
Mihanović's fragment of the Acts of the Apostles | 12th century | Unknown | (In Glagolitic) | |
Miroslav's Gospel | 1185–86 | Grigorije the Pupil for Miroslav of Hum | Gospel Book | at NBS |
Charter of Hilandar | 1198 | Stefan Nemanja and Saint Sava | Charter | |
Karyes Typikon | 1199 | Saint Sava | Typikon | |
Charter of Hilandar (II) | 1200–01 | Stefan the First-Crowned | Charter (revision) | |
The Life of St. Symeon (Vita Simeonis) | 1208 | Saint Sava | Hagiography (biography) | |
Studenica Typikon | 1208 | Saint Sava | Typikon | at NBS |
Vukan's Gospel | 1200–08 | Monk Simeon for Vukan Nemanjić | Gospel Book | |
Psaltir Typikon | 13th century | Saint Sava | Typikon | |
Letter to hegumen Spiridon | 13th century | Saint Sava | Personal letter | |
Belgrade Prophetologion | 13th century | unknown | Lectionary | |
The Life of St. Symeon | 1216 | Stefan the First-Crowned | Biography | |
Zakonopravilo (St. Sava's Nomocanon) | 1219 | Saint Sava | Civil law and canon law (medieval constitution). | |
Bratko Menaion | 1234 | Monk Bratko | Menaion | |
Life of St. Sava | 1242–43 | Domentijan | Biography | |
Charter of Ston | 1253 | Stefan Uroš I | Charter | |
Dragolj Code | 1259 | Monk Dragolj | Illuminated manuscript | |
Life of St. Sava[4] | 1261 | Teodosije the Hilandarian | Biography[5] | |
The Life of St. Simeon | 1264 | Domentijan the Hilandarian | Biography[5] | |
Belgrade Macedonian Oktoih | 13th century | |||
Trebnik | 13th century | |||
March menaion | 13th century | |||
Hagiography | 13th century | Saint Sava | Hagiography | |
Charter to Hilandar | 1302 | Stefan Milutin | Lost | |
Časoslov | 1300–10 | |||
Život kralja Milutina (Life of King Milutin) | 1323–26 | Danilo II | Biography | |
Život Stefana Dečanskog (Life of Stefan of Dečani) | 1331– | Danilo II | Biography | |
Život arhiepiskopa Danila II | after 1337 | Danilo II's pupil | Biography | |
Život kraljeva i arhiepiskopa srpskih | 1337–40 | Danilo II | Biography | |
Life of St. Arsenije | 1324–37 | Danilo II | Biography | |
Rodoslov (carostavnik) | 1337 | Archbishop Nikodim | Biography | |
Dušan's Code | 1349 | Emperor Dušan | Constitution | |
Nikola Stanjević Gospel | 1350 | Monk Feoktist | Gospel Book | |
Kalist Rasoder | 1354 | Kalist Rasoder | Tetraevangelion, also known as "Serres Gospel" book | |
Dorotej of Hilandar | 1382 | charter for the monastery of Drenča | ||
Charter of Ravanica | 1381 | Prince Lazar | Charter | |
Serbian Alexandride | 14th century | Life of Alexander the Great | ||
Gospel of St. Nicholas (Nikoljsko jevanđelje) | 14th century | Gospel book, located in Ireland (Dublin RU 147) | ||
Munich Serbian Psalter | 1370–1395 | Illuminated psalter | ||
Oxford Serbian Psalter | late 14th century | Psalter | ||
February Menaion | ||||
Life of St. Stefan of Dečani | 1402–09 | Grergory Tsamblak | Biography | |
Mining Code | 1412 | Stefan Lazarević | Code of law | |
Karlovački rodoslov | 1418–27 | |||
Radoslav's Gospel (Radoslavljevo jevanđelje) | 1429 | scribe Radoslav | Gospel Book, located at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg | at NBS |
Charter to St. Paul Monastery[4] | 1430 | George Brankovic | Charter | |
Life of Despot Stefan Lazarević | 1431 | Constantine of Kostenets | Biography | |
Slovo o pravopisu | 143X | Constantine of Kostenets | ||
Služabnik | 1453 | Located in the National Library of Serbia (RS 538) | ||
Varaždin Apostol | 1454 | three transcribers | Apostol (Acts of the Apostles and the New Testament epistles) | |
Dečani chronicle | second half of the 15th century | 18th-century transcription | ||
Cetinje Octoechos | 1494 | Hieromonk Makarije | Octoechos | |
Bogorodičnik | 15th century | Theotokarion held in Hilandar.[6] | ||
Goražde Psalter | 1521 | Teodor Ljubavić | Printed psalter |