Research by Élodie Lévéque and team at Panthéon-Sorbonne University uncovers that the outer coverings of medieval manuscripts from Cistercian monasteries are made from sealskin. This discovery was made possible through advanced techniques like ancient DNA and collagen analysis, which identified various seals contributing to these bindings. The findings include materials from harbor seals, harp seals, and bearded seals, indicating that these books were part of a broader trade network across regions in Europe during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
The analysis conducted reveals that unusual book coverings from medieval manuscripts, specifically from Cistercian monasteries, were crafted from sealskin, suggesting extensive trade networks.
By employing advanced DNA and collagen analysis, researchers successfully identified that the hairy bindings of ancient texts originated from different types of seals, pointing to cross-regional trade.
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