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We can see Latin, scratched into the book’s wax 700-800 years ago.
What is it?
This well-preserved medieval ‘notebook’ dates to the 13th or 14th century. Measuring 10cm by 7.5cm, the book comprises ten wooden tablets covered in wax – eight of them double-sided, while the first and last are only filled with wax on one side – bound and packed in a small leather case. The surface of this case is decorated with an embossed pattern featuring small, regular rows of lilies, a motif symbolic of purity, royal power, and divine favour in the medieval period. The book is in remarkable condition: inside we can still see cursive script in Latin, scratched into the wax 700-800 years ago.
Where was it found, and when?
The book was found in Paderborn, in western Germany, during excavations overseen by the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (LWL) as part of a construction project. It was discovered in one of the five medieval latrines uncovered during the archaeological work, leading LWL conservator Susanne Bretzel to comment, ‘even after so many centuries in the ground, the find still had a rather unpleasant odour’. The object was surrounded by a wet clod of earth and was only spotted during cleaning in the restoration workshop. It remains uncertain how the notebook ended up in the latrine – it may have fallen in by accident. However, the damp and air-tight environment provided ideal preservation conditions.
Why does it matter?
Comparable objects are known from Lübeck and Lüneburg, but this is the only example in North Rhine-Westphalia where the whole book has been preserved so perfectly in an archaeological context. Bretzel reflected, ‘I only had to clean the outside of the book, as the inner pages were so tightly bound that there was no dirt on them. The wood also hadn’t warped, so the wax is still intact and the writing itself is easily legible.’
This writing would have been inscribed into the wax with a pointed stylus and could have been erased by the flat end of the same implement, making the tablet reusable. Beneath the most recent writing, traces of older text are still clearly visible. The script has been written in two directions, according to how the book was being held, suggesting that it was used spontaneously as a notebook. The author of these notes is currently uncertain, but the cursive writing and the use of Latin, in addition to the decoration on the book’s cover, point to an upper-class owner.
Experts are currently working to transcribe the writing into legible script, after which it can be translated. It is hoped this will provide valuable insights into everyday life in medieval Westphalia.
Text: Amy Brunskill / Photo: LWL/S Brentführer
