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Medieval Books Were Covered in Exotic Sealskins
Archaeology Magazine ^
| April 11, 2025
| editors / unattributed
Posted on 04/14/2025 10:57:25 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Hundreds of years ago, Cistercian monks in France protected their treasured literary works with covers made from exotic animal skins, Science News reports. Clairvaux Abbey was founded in 1115 and its literary collection today contains over 1,000 medieval books. Most of these were wrapped with deer, sheep, or boar skin, but ancient DNA analysis of several perplexing furry volumes from the twelfth and thirteenth century revealed that they had been covered with seal hides. "I was like, 'that's not possible. There must be a mistake,'" said researcher Élodie Lévêque. "Seals didn't frequent France's northern coast at the time. I sent it again, and it came back as seal skin again." The skins were proven to come from harbor seal populations living along the shores of Scandinavia, Denmark, Scotland, and even Iceland or Greenland. Norse hunters may have caught the seals and brought their pelts to northern France for trade, although the researchers suggest that the monks may not have been aware of their origins. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Royal Society Open Science.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...
TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: ancientnavigation; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; middleages; scandinavia
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1
posted on
04/14/2025 10:57:25 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
2
posted on
04/14/2025 10:58:04 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
To: SunkenCiv
The Necronomicon was covered in human skin. Klaatu barada necktie!
4
posted on
04/14/2025 11:01:55 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
To: SunkenCiv
Where does one find Exotic Seals?.............
5
posted on
04/14/2025 11:02:23 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
(Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
To: Red Badger
Usually on a street corner or at a subway stop, singing “Kiss from a Rose”, for tips.
6
posted on
04/14/2025 11:03:54 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
To: Billthedrill
7
posted on
04/14/2025 11:06:05 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
To: SunkenCiv
Seal skin has a unique structure making it stronger and more pliable and more waterproof compared to other leathers. The monks bought it for it’s high protective quality.
8
posted on
04/14/2025 11:10:09 AM PDT
by
Cold Heart
(It's a good time to be ashamed to be a democrat)
To: SunkenCiv
“I was like...”
It hurts to hear that expression, never mind read it.
9
posted on
04/14/2025 11:11:01 AM PDT
by
Buttons12
( )
To: SunkenCiv
Can’t tell a “furry” seal skin from that of a sheep or a boar? I heard they were sheltered fellows, but...
10
posted on
04/14/2025 11:13:34 AM PDT
by
Buttons12
( )
To: SunkenCiv
Usually on a street corner or at a subway stop, singing “Kiss from a Rose”, for tips. I love you.
In a purely platonic way of course.:)
11
posted on
04/14/2025 11:15:30 AM PDT
by
Harmless Teddy Bear
( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
To: Billthedrill
#3:
"Klaatu barada necktie!" Nice! Now that's a sharp dresser!
12
posted on
04/14/2025 11:17:18 AM PDT
by
Governor Dinwiddie
( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
To: Red Badger
Where does one find Exotic Seals?............ A walrus friend of mine gets them in Times Square, but they cost him $1000 an hour.
13
posted on
04/14/2025 11:17:35 AM PDT
by
PGR88
To: Harmless Teddy Bear
14
posted on
04/14/2025 11:25:42 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
15
posted on
04/14/2025 11:29:33 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
To: Red Badger
16
posted on
04/14/2025 11:49:40 AM PDT
by
struggle
To: SunkenCiv
"I was like, 'that's not possible. There must be a mistake,'" said researcher Élodie Lévêque. "Seals didn't frequent France's northern coast at the time."
Can ya blame 'em? Look what happens!
17
posted on
04/14/2025 12:00:23 PM PDT
by
larrytown
(A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
To: SunkenCiv
18
posted on
04/14/2025 12:05:26 PM PDT
by
Magnum44
(...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
To: Red Badger
Where does one find Exotic Seals?............. Try here?
19
posted on
04/14/2025 12:35:52 PM PDT
by
pepsi_junkie
("We want no Gestapo or Secret Police. F. B. I. is tending in that direction." - Harry S Truman)
To: larrytown
20
posted on
04/14/2025 2:35:45 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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