The Modern Life of Manuscripts (MLM) will establish a next methodological step and a new best practice by introducing the modern location(s) and movement(s) of manuscripts in philology and historical study. Building on material philology, theory of knowledge, and methods from historiography and archival studies, the project assesses how ancient manuscripts figure in modern systems of knowledge production. In so doing, the project will develop the means for a richer understanding of manuscripts and, importantly, the history we write from them. In the latter, MLM addresses both criticism that traditional philology perpetuates colonialist legacies and growing ethical concerns over the origins of and trade in ancient manuscripts.