Illuminated Manuscripts were hand-made books, usually on Christian scripture or practice, produced in Western Europe between c. 500-c. 1600. They are so called because of the use of gold and silver which illuminates the text and accompanying illustrations. Their production gradually died out after the invention of the printing press.

An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations.

The art of illuminated letters, generously displayed in the Medieval manuscripts, was predominant in Europe between the 4th and 16th centuries. The letters of gold used in early medieval manuscripts were mostly confined to copies of Scriptures and devotional books, written for princes or for monasteries.

Illuminated manuscripts are hand-written books with painted decoration that generally includes precious metals such as gold or silver. The pages were made from animal skin, commonly calf, sheep, or goat.