What is a manuscript? What does this word mean?
What is a manuscript is hard to say unequivocally. Basically, this word is associated with the Middle Ages. In general, this is true, many ancient manuscripts really came to us from those times. And although the origin of the manuscripts is basically quite transparent, they still contain many surprising surprises.
Origin
What is a manuscript best explains the origin of the term. "Manu" - translated from Latin means "hand", "script" - "letter". Thus, a manuscript means a manuscript.
Before the invention of the printing press, all the texts werehandwritten. The labor of the scribes was very high. Precious handwritten books were riveted with heavy chains to church altars, handwritten family bibles were kept under lock and key. The information of the current nature was recorded on sheets of paper. There were also records on more expensive materials - papyrus and parchment. Such ancient manuscripts were preserved in a much more readable form. For beauty and clarity, they were illustrated with colorful images of people, animals, plants, fictional creatures. Sometimes the picture in the text was purely decorative, but mostly the illustrations carried a semantic load and explained what they had written.
Manuscripts-prayer books
The manuscripts preserved and transmitted information,which was considered too important and secret for oral communications. Known are the manuscripts-prayer books, which the clergy knew and used during prayers. Carrying books with the church was very uncomfortable because of their heaviness and high cost. Therefore, manuscripts were taken to the church with the texts of all the necessary prayers and psalms. Manuscripts with prayers were sent by the Pope as a precious gift to monarchs and nobles. To have such a manuscript was very prestigious, because it proved the personal favor of the Pope, and hence God.
Manuscripts-Talismans
Despite the total dominance of religious dogma andrules, in the Middle Ages, talismans and amulets were very popular. It was believed that they would help protect the body and soul from evil forces, drive away pain and strengthen health. About what a manuscript-talisman is, is told in medieval chronicles and legends. For example, the secret manuscript of Enchiridie is known. This is an Italianized reading of the Latin name, which means "Red Dragon". This collection of plots from toothache was donated in 800 to Charles the Great Pope by Leo III and cost a fortune.
Secret manuscripts
Not all manuscripts were written in a comprehensible andaccessible language. The manuscripts of the alchemists, for example, are full of allegories and names of incomprehensible elements. To record chemical reactions, a secret language was used, which was inaccessible to the uninitiated. The names of herbs and components were recorded in a rattling mixture of local languages and vulgar Latin. If you add here also the general illiteracy of the population, it becomes clear that reading medieval manuscripts is not easy. Decoding of both long-known and recently found manuscripts requires truly encyclopedic knowledge. But even an excellent education does not guarantee the only true reading of the document.
Voynich's Manuscript
In 1912 the Polish antiquarian and second-hand bookseller V. Voynich presented an amazing manuscript written in an unknown language. In addition to incomprehensible texts, the pages of the document contained images of plants and animals unknown in medieval Europe. Scientists have not yet deciphered the language on which the manuscript was written. Mysterious text contains grammatical constructions that were not available in European languages. Not European origin of the manuscript was confirmed by images of flora and fauna.
A full explanation of what the Voynich manuscript is and how it appeared in Poland is not yet presented. Perhaps this will require more knowledge than we have at the moment.
