Contribuições para a caracterização do scriptorium de Alcobaça: estudo e preservação de um códice litúrgico medieval (BNP Alc.11)

Relatório de Estágio para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Conservação e Restauro Especialização em documentos gráficosNeste relatório de estágio desenvolveu-se uma abordagem interdisciplinar, com a finalidade de estudar e preservar o manuscrito medieval BNP, Alc.11, que pertenceu à biblioteca do Mosteiro de Alcobaça. Para o desenvolvimento desta investigação rigorosa, foi fundamental a realização de cruzamentos entre as áreas das ciências humanas e as ciências exactas. Para tal, desenhou-se uma metodologia que inclui: o estudo codicológico do manuscrito e o estudo do conteúdo litúrgico, o estudo dos diferentes materiais que compõem este manuscrito recorrendo a técnicas analíticas complementares e o estudo do estado de conservação, quer do bloco de texto, quer da encadernação. Acrescentou-se também a construção de um protótipo da encadernação do manuscrito BNP, Alc.11. Com base em estudos codicológicos e litúrgicos anteriores, classifica-se este manuscrito como sendo um saltéiro-hinário compósito do último quartel do século XII, com posto pelos 150 salmos do Antigo Testamento, bem como cânticos orações, hinos e ladainhas. A respeito do estudo material, os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que estes estão em concordância com o período de produção deste manuscrito, nomeadamente a paleta cromática e tintas de escrita, bem como o empaste dos nervos da costura feita sobre os cadernos que compõem o bloco de texto. Pelas observações efectuadas ao manuscrito, percebeu-se que as pastas que protegem o bloco de texto são resultado de uma substituição realizada provavelmente nos séculos XIV ou XV, sendo também encontradas adições de fólios em épocas posteriores. No que concerne ao estado de conservação, o manuscrito encontra-se em mau estado de conservação, especialmente o bloco de texto, onde a gelatinização e microfissuração do pergaminho é a patologia com maior percentagem de ocorrência e que exigirá estudos futuros a fim de se procurar o método de consolidação mais capaz sem comprometer a estabilidade e autenticidade do conjunto. Devido ao estado de conservação do manuscrito e pela presença de inúmeros elementos originais, definiu-se uma proposta de intervenção mínima no objecto que se traduziu no preenchimento da lacuna da pasta traseira e a recolocação de cunhas afim de se prenderem os nervos soltos à qual se acrescentou uma capa de protecção, utilizando filme de poliéster e finalmente a concepção de uma nova caixa de acondicionamento, para melhor salvaguardar todo o conjunto.A multidisciplinary approach has been developed to study and preserve the medi eval manuscript Alc.11, which belonged to the library of Santa Maria of Alcobaça Mon astery. Crossroads between human and exact sciences were fundamental for the develop ment of this research with rigour. To this end, a methodology has been designed that included: the codicological and liturgical content study of the manuscript, the study of the different materials that compose this manuscript using complementary analytical techniques and the study of the conservation condition of the text block and the book binding. Also, we included the construction of a prototype of the current condition of the BNP, Alc.11 manuscript binding. From the results obtained concerning the codicological and liturgical study, this manuscript is classified as a psalter-hymnal from the last quarter of the twelfth century, composed by the characteristic 150 Old Testament psalms, as well as prayers and hymns. Regarding the material study, the results obtained allowed us to conclude that they are under the period of production of this manuscript, namely the chromatic palette and writ ing inks, as well as the lacing technique of the thongs of the sewing of the quires of the text block. From the observations made, he realized that the current bookbinding is the result of a replacement probably made in the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries, including folios added in later times. Regarding the state of conservation, the manuscript is in poor condition, especially the text block, where gelatinization and microcracking of the parch ment is the pathology with the highest percentage of occurrence and should be studied, to find a proper consolidation method. Due to the state of conservation of the manuscript and the presence of numerous original elements, a minimal intervention proposal has been defined which will result in the filling of the back wood board lacuna and design new pegs in order to trap the loose thongs, plus the creation of a protective cover using melinex® film and finally the design of a new conservation box to better preserve the whole set

Narrating codex history: the case study of a psalter-hymnal from Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

This article provides the first in-depth study of historic content and materials used in the production of a liturgical codex from the collection of manuscripts of the Monastery of Alcobaça: the Psalter-hymnal (Lisbon, National Library, Alc. 11). To answer provenance questions and trace the manuscript’s history, a multidisciplinary team studied the entire procedure of making the codex, which went from in-depth textual, liturgical, and codicological analyses, to examining material composition and bookbinding methods with complementary analytical techniques. The team was able to track the manuscript’s historical trajectory through successive additions and interventions/alterations. Interpretation of the historic information and the resulting technical data confirmed the belief that this is a twelfth-century manuscript produced in the scriptorium of Alcobaça and underlined the role that the manuscript played in this Cistercian monastery during the Middle Ages, and possibly throughout the following centuries. This led the team to approach the codex’s “cultural significance” and perceive later alterations and interventions as evidence of the monks’ intensive use of this manuscript and the great care they took to preserve their monastic library. The new data and knowledge acquired about this precious codex proved to be fundamental for future digital access policy definition and the conservation making decisioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Narrating codex history: the case study of a psalter-hymnal from Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

This article provides the first in-depth study of historic content and materials used in the production of a liturgical codex from the collection of manuscripts of the Monastery of Alcobaça: the Psalter-hymnal (Lisbon, National Library, Alc. 11). To answer provenance questions and trace the manuscript’s history, a multidisciplinary team studied the entire procedure of making the codex, which went from in-depth textual, liturgical, and codicological analyses, to examining material composition and bookbinding methods with complementary analytical techniques. The team was able to track the manuscript’s historical trajectory through successive additions and interventions/alterations. Interpretation of the historic information and the resulting technical data confirmed the belief that this is a twelfth-century manuscript produced in the scriptorium of Alcobaça and underlined the role that the manuscript played in this Cistercian monastery during the Middle Ages, and possibly throughout the following centuries. This led the team to approach the codex’s “cultural significance” and perceive later alterations and interventions as evidence of the monks’ intensive use of this manuscript and the great care they took to preserve their monastic library. The new data and knowledge acquired about this precious codex proved to be fundamental for future digital access policy definition and the conservation making decision