manuscripts

A remarkable manuscript bound in furry seal skin has emerged as potentially Norway's oldest surviving book, offering unprecedented insights into medieval Christian life in Scandinavia. The eight-page religious songbook, dating from the 13th century or possibly earlier, arrived at the National Library of Norway earlier this year after being privately owned by a family at Hagenes farm in Bergen for generations. When conservator Chiara Palandri first examined the manuscript, she immediately recognized its extraordinary significance. "I had never seen such a binding before," Palandri told Science Norway. The discovery is particularly significant given how few documents from Norway's medieval period have survived the centuries. Following Norway's conversion to Protestantism in 1537, most handwritten Catholic books became obsolete. Many were repurposed