{"product_id":"medieval-latin-necrological-calendar-manuscript-on-parchment-c-15th-century","title":"Medieval Latin Necrological Calendar Manuscript on Parchment, c. 15th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedieval Latin Necrological Calendar Manuscript on Parchment, c. 15th Century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn evocative original medieval manuscript fragment written in Latin on parchment, dating approximately to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e15th century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and apparently originating from an ecclesiastical \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enecrology, obituary calendar, or anniversary register\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e used for the commemoration of deceased members of a religious community.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe manuscript is written in a Gothic hand in dark brown\/black ink with prominent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003erubricated headings in red\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Rather than containing continuous theological prose, the surviving text is organized according to the medieval calendar and preserves individual commemorative entries associated with particular days.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmong the clearest surviving rubricated headings are:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuarto kl. feb.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuarto Kalendas Februarii\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, “the fourth day before the Kalends of February,” corresponding to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJanuary 29\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e under Roman inclusive reckoning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTercio kl. feb.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTertio Kalendas Februarii\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, “the third day before the Kalends of February,” corresponding to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJanuary 30\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeneath these headings are entries naming individuals associated with the religious community. Portions of the surviving text appear to include personal names such as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePetrus (Peter), Theodricus (Theodoric\/Dietrich), and Johannes (John)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, together with ecclesiastical terminology including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esacerdotis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, “of the priest.” Other rubricated terminology appears to reference ecclesiastical offices or groups, including abbots and priests.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe arrangement of dates followed by personal commemorations strongly suggests that the manuscript belonged to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emedieval necrological or commemorative calendar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Such books served as institutional records of remembrance, allowing monasteries, churches, chapters, and other religious communities to commemorate deceased clergy, members, and benefactors on the anniversaries of their deaths.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEspecially interesting are the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elater additions in different hands and inks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. These entries indicate that the manuscript was not simply produced at one moment but continued to function as a living institutional record, with subsequent generations adding information to the original medieval text.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLater Reuse as Bookbinding Material\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt some point after the manuscript ceased serving its original purpose, the parchment was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003erepurposed as binding material\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a common practice during the early modern period. Parchment was an exceptionally durable and valuable material, and obsolete medieval manuscripts were frequently cut apart and recycled as covers, wrappers, pastedowns, or structural components of later books and archival volumes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe pronounced folds, turned edges, attachment holes, staining, abrasion, and darkened areas visible on this fragment preserve clear evidence of this secondary use. In this sense, the piece represents \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo distinct chapters of European book history\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: first as a medieval ecclesiastical manuscript and later as recycled material in the construction or protection of another volume.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe manuscript survives in heavily used but remarkably evocative condition, with substantial portions of its original red and dark text remaining legible. Its wear, staining, folds, small holes, and abrasions are consistent with its age and subsequent reuse.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Late medieval, probably 15th century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Parchment \/ animal-skin membrane\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Latin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScript:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Gothic\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eContent:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ecclesiastical necrology, obituary calendar, or anniversary register\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDecoration:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Red rubrication with dark brown\/black manuscript text\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLater history:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Repurposed as bookbinding\/archival binding material\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Approximately 26 × 19 cm at largest extent\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA fascinating survivor of medieval religious and manuscript culture, preserving not merely a piece of medieval writing but traces of the individuals whom a religious community sought to remember centuries ago.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease note that medieval manuscripts employ extensive scribal abbreviations, and several readings remain tentative. The manuscript is therefore described conservatively based upon the legible surviving text and physical evidence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62691919429713,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/E8538763-1D6B-4997-BC8B-CE0051B8BF2F.jpg?v=1789948606","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/medieval-latin-necrological-calendar-manuscript-on-parchment-c-15th-century","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}