Liturgical fragments in the Košice City Archives
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| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The early modern municipal books of Košice are sometimes bound in the fragments of medieval manuscripts. Recent research discovered that bookbinders used a total of 42 leaves or bifolia from various types of books. Liturgical fragments are prevalent, and they will be analysed in this paper. They were written between the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 16th century. As only six complete liturgical manuscripts from Košice are preserved, examination of each newly identified folio is important. Fragments carry two layers of information – graphics and content. Shapes of a script and a musical notation represent graphical elements. It is possible to observe their gradual changes. Differences in both graphical systems are not only chronological but also depend on the demands of the purchaser and the abilities of the scriptorium. It means that the presence of specific graphic signs can define the provenance of a fragment. The layout of liturgical books is stable. Fully notated manuscripts are written in extenso, and partially notated or non-notated sources divide the text into two columns. From a content point of view, fragments contain formularies for different feasts, so it is not possible to compare them with each other. However, various editions of liturgical formularies and preserved manuscripts from Košice can help in content analysis. Numerous generations of clergymen usually used once-produced liturgical book. It was a symbol of continuity, but priests did not hesitate to add or change its texts. Fragments are also witnesses of these improvements. |