Treasure bindings were Medieval book covers encrusted with precious metals and jewels… an extravagant luxury in the Middle Ages. These rare masterpieces included gold, silver, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, ivory, pearls and garnets..! 

The average Medieval book cover paled in comparison, with simple wooden blocks covered in leather, velvet or other cloth. 

In the Middle Ages, very few people were literate, so the written word was valued. Lavish treasure bindings were mostly designed for church services and church altars, rather than for study in public libraries. The application of precious stones and metals served as reverence and adoration of the book’s ecclesiastical text. It also served to reflect the affluence and status of the wealthy patron who had commissioned the book.   

Sadly, few of these magnificent bindings have survived. By the very nature of their expensive decorations, they fell easy prey to theft and looting. There are also records of monasteries and churches having to sell precious books to cover their building needs or to survive through difficult periods. In addition, many private owners of these lavish books would later fall on hard times and would have to sell the precious jewels for funding. 

Isn’t Medieval history captivating? 

Inspired by these ancient treasures, I’ve attempted to lavishly embellish my 1:12 scale mini manuscripts with gold embossing and tiny jewels! In my free DIY tutorial below, I show various ways to use heat embossing for embellishment, as well as using gold foil and nail art gems to adorn the books and turn them into treasures! These tiny Medieval manuscripts now have the bling they deserve!