Image Archive
The DIAMM image archive contains over 7,000 images of medieval polyphonic music sources. The list of sources given on this website is greater than this total, and over the coming years DIAMM hopes to be able to complete agreements with many other libraries and archives to expand the existing image collection, embracing both fragments and complete manuscripts.
Not all libraries wish to have their images delivered online through the DIAMM web portal, which means that some images listed as archived may not be accessible here. In order to see copies of these images you should apply to the library concerned (addresses are available by clicking on the library name or accessing the archive list). In some cases it may be possible to study the images at the DIAMM workshop in Oxford, but not remove them for personal study. If you have an exceptional need to obtain images, please contact the Project Manager for advice.
DIAMM is not an image delivery service, but occasionally libraries have given permission for scholars to obtain copies of their images through DIAMM. We require written permission from the library for this to be the case. If you are applying to a library for images please ensure you have the full shelf mark and folio numbers correct by checking the database, and ask specifically for the DIAMM digital images if you wish to receive these.
There are three groups of manuscripts:
- List 1: The complete list of sources of medieval polyphonic music (this is updated constantly as new sources are notified to us) drawn from RISM, the Census Catalogue of Medieval Manuscripts (CCM), and more recent articles and contact from scholars
- Subset of list 1: sources archived by DIAMM.
- Subset of list 2: sources available through the DIAMM website (the MS number is followed by a tick in the list of manuscripts if there are images available online).