Researchers: Monks in the Middle Ages bound books with sealskin

Using modern technology, researchers have uncovered a secret of ancient monastic libraries: As the online journal"Royal Society Open Science" reported on Wednesday, bindings of medieval manuscripts were repeatedly made from the fur of finfish.

Researchers analysed the original bindings of books from the 12th and 13th centuries in the Cistercian library in Clairvaux and other abbeys using biomolecular methods. The analyses revealed that the skins of various seal species were mostly used. The researchers identified bearded seals, harbour seals and a harp seal from populations in Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland and Greenland.

According to the study, this confirms the theory that the Cistercians already had a robust trade network in the Middle Ages that went far beyond the procurement of locally available materials. The inclusion of the biosciences in the study of historical manuscripts also illustrates the extensive trade networks in which the monasteries were integrated at the time. (KNA)