Metrics details
A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 29 May 2018
This article has been updated
The manuscripts are especially famous for their precious and colorful miniatures of a very early medieval period
The aim of the work was the material identification (colors and inks) used for the make-up of the two codices in order to gain a better understanding of their evolution and their provenance
The instrumentation available in the CIMA laboratories allowed performing in situ measurements using non-destructive and non-invasive analytical methods
The investigations comprised a combination of three complementary methods: X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF)
Fourier transform infrared spectrometry in the reflection mode (rFTIR) and Raman spectrometry
In addition to the identification of the pigments and inks also a detailed characterization of the parchment concerning its manufacturing process was achieved by that combination
The identification of calcium carbonates on the surface of the parchment is an indicator for the liming or whitening of the animal skin
whereas the polishing process of the parchment surface with pumice stone
The combination of XRF and Raman spectrometry enabled the characterization of black/brown inks in the text revealing the usage of iron gall inks
For the red inks applied for text and initials vermilion and red lead were applied in both codices
the pigment palette used for the illumination included: lead white
vermilion and red iron oxides as well as azurite and indigo
together with the rather rare copper chloride hydroxide
in both gospels the application of metal leaves as well as powders made of silver–copper and gold–copper alloys could be determined by XRF on several folios
Within this framework a series of historical manuscripts of various libraries selected by philologists were examined
The selection comprises badly preserved or rewritten manuscripts (palimpsests) on the one hand
and manuscripts with a remarkable design on the other
deriving from the 8th to the 14th centuries
The material investigation aims to determine the composition of inks and pigments used for writing and illuminating
as well as the characterization of the support material
multispectral imaging was carried out to improve the legibility of historical texts
With all this information philologists and art historians are studying these objects
The data of material analysis will help to classify the manuscripts and their making
The final objective of the research is to compare the data gained to reveal correlations within data stemming from multiple modalities and
to make new scholarly and scientific findings
The magnificent (secondary) covers of the Codices Millenarius Maior (a) and Millenarius Minor (b)
The silver plates are partly gilded and decorated with precious gemstones
Codex Maior shows the Lord of the World with the four evangelists
whereas the cover of the Codex Minor is decorated with a representation of Saint Mary with Child
MMA happens to be the oldest of altogether three manuscripts deriving from this monastery (from where Kremsmuenster Abbey may have been founded) and dates from the early ninth century
The Gospels are written in two columns with black ink in the solemn Carolingian Majuscule (Uncial)
the additions in the denser Capitalis Rustica
The beginning and the end of each part are composed in Capitalis Quadrata and held in red and green
The regularity of the writing suggests a single scribe
The text is a variant of the northern Italian Vulgata
influenced by the tradition of the Vetus Latina
the incipit of the corresponding Gospel is cast in fine minuscule
the decoration of the book is limited to the initials at the beginning of each gospel
leading to the damage of the manuscript’s first three layers (folios 1–12)
they were rewritten on paper by Prior Leonhard Wagner
who still disposed of the original parchment leaves
as evidenced by an imprint of the last canon table on folio 10r which exactly corresponds to Wagner’s division
A paper folio with the texts of John 20:31–21:14 was also added at the end
today MMA contains 330 parchment and 47 paper folios
partly gilded silver with 26 stones was given to the codex before the year 1600 under Abbot Johannes Spindler (1589–1600)
His coat of arms occupies the corners of the front cover
Central is the figure of the Lord of the World
to whom Kremsmuenster Abbey has been dedicated since its foundation
the red velvet of the book covers was replaced by red goat leather
Later on and according to a medieval custom
four charters were entered on empty pages in minuscule copies of the 12th century
a solemn requiem is held every year on the 11th of December
This manuscript represents a plenary in Carolingian minuscule
It is commonly dated to the last quarter of the ninth century and was given to the monastery under Abbot Snelpero (888–893)
Written by various hands and probably only later combined to a plenary
MMI contains 224 parchment and 21 paper folios
Of the miniature paintings only Saint Mark is completely preserved
while the bottom part of Saint John’s miniature are lost
the decoration of the book is limited to the initials at the beginning of the Gospels
Completely preserved are the canon tables at the beginning of the book
207r–225r) an instruction of the Gospel readings is added—a clear indication that the book was used for the holy sacrifice of the mass
and—for us even more interesting—a treasure inventory deriving from the year 1032
The restoration of the legibility of this erased text is one of the desiderata of our project
the front cover shows a representation of Saint Mary with Child
Between the silver panel and the wooden covers some relics are stored
including those of the monastery’s patron Agapitus
These relics were inscribed in the 13th century
In the inventory of the relics dating from the 10th/11th century
Our analysis of the two codices described above mainly aims at the identification of the colors and inks used for their make-up
From its results a better understanding of their evolution can be expected
In order to study the materials used for manuscripts of this kind
non-destructive and non-invasive techniques are essential
This also implies the possibility of performing the measurements in situ
Since the two codices were studied during different phases of the project
different analytical techniques were accessible for the analyses
As these codices were only available for the investigations in a limited period of time it was not possible to do all examinations that would have been necessary and it was essential to focus on capable methods
Due to the different period of the investigations the XRF analysis for the elemental identification of the pigments applied for the illuminations as well as the inks used for the text were carried out with two different portable XRF instruments available at the Institute of Science and Technology in Art
Both are equipped with a primary beam spot size of about 1 µm in diameter and two laser pointers for a precise positioning
These instruments are mounted on a tripod in order to measure in a position most suitable for the object
X-ray radiation has a certain penetration depth because of the comparatively high energy of the primary beam
that the element detection does not only refer to the surface layer (e.g.
but is the result of all elements present in all layers including the components of the parchment and the possible material of the verso-side of the folio
elements with an atomic number lower than silicon (Si) cannot be detected
the well-known pigment ultramarine blue can be taken as a good example
as its elemental composition is based on a sodalite cage of sodium (Na) and silicon (Si)
elements which cannot be detected in air at all
the spectrum obtained has to be compared with the one of the (bare) support material
The correlation to an ink or pigment is not always an easy task; sometimes the results are even impossible to verify
It is equipped with an X-ray rhodium (Rh) tube with a maximum power of 50 kV and a silicon drift chamber detector
The measurement parameters chosen for the relevant manuscript analyses are a tube voltage of 35 kV and a tube current of 0.8 mA for 100 s acquisition time
The system head consists of a 4 Watt X-ray rhodium (Rh) tube together with a silicon drift chamber detector (SDD) of an active area of 25 mm2
The settings for the measurements of the codex were of 40 kV
In previous investigations it was possible to study objects which were investigated with the self-built XRF instrument to compare the results of these two devices
The results fitted perfectly to allow a direct comparison of these two instruments
So far there was no opportunity for Codex MMI to do further investigations
a fully integrated and transportable instrument
The excitation sources applied for the investigations were Diode Lasers at 785 nm (~ 350 mW) and 532 nm (~ 50 mW) with narrow line-widths of 2.0 and 1.5 cm−1
The instrument is based on a two dimensional CCD array detector
the instrument is equipped with an integrated microscope (1.3 Mpixel CMOS camera with an in-line LED illumination)
The spot size of the excitation lasers is very small compared to XRF and rFTIR and varies depending on the applied laser as well as the objective lens of the microscope
the spot size is about 50 µm in diameter for the 785 nm laser
whereas for the 535 nm laser the analyzed area is reduced to 35 µm in diameter
The spectra were evaluated by comparison to a reference database of ISTA
created by mockups of the pigment collection in the institute
The aim of these investigations was to identify the inks as well as the pigments and binding media used for both codices
A comparison of the materials applied for both codices seems to be highly appropriate as their time of origin does not differ widely
Final evaluation has been obtained by combining the various results of the complementary analyses performed
Of each codex more than ten folios were examined
which were selected by philologists (either recto or verso of a folio)
Main focus was given to folios with either text and initials or large illuminations at the beginning of the four Gospels
The selected areas of interest for the measurements on parchment were mostly located on the margins or between the columns to ensure that no ink
is located on this point as well as on the reverse side of this area (important for XRF investigations)
Small amounts of lead (Pb) are possibly from lead white—these folia appear in a pale shade—which cannot be confirmed here
The silver (Ag) amount can be attributed to the abrasion of the metal implementation of the initials on these folia
The surface treatment could not be confirmed by Raman analysis
Results of the measurements of the black ink on fol
108r of Codex Millenarius Maior performed with Raman and XRF
a Raman spectrum of the black ink (red) and a reference spectrum of iron gall ink (black)
b XRF spectrum of the black ink (red) in comparison to the parchment (blue)
Lead (Pb) seems to derive from the surface
almost black color of the text ink it is possible that the iron gall ink is mixed with carbon black
by the methods XRF and rFTIR it is not possible to detect this kind of writing material—carbon (C) cannot be detected by XRF in air and it does not absorb mid infrared radiation
Raman spectrometry would allow the identification of carbon black
but the interference with the bands of the support material (parchment) did not yield clear results
a possible mixture of iron gall ink with carbon black cannot be excluded
Folio 168r of Codex Millenarius Maior (a) compared to folio 219v of Codex Millenarius Minor (b)
The red ink used in Codex Maior (MP4) was identified as minium
whereas Codex Minor showed vermilion in MP4 and minium in MP5
The green ink in Codex Maior (MP5) was identified as a copper based ink by XRF
Due to high fluorescence interference no clear identification was possible with Raman spectrometry
In cod. MMA also green ink was applied as a writing material for headings and initials (Fig. 3a)
In this case by XRF copper (Cu) was detected as the main element
together with traces of calcium (Ca) and lead (Pb)
which indicates the use of a copper based green pigment
possibly mixed with lead white and/or calcium carbonate to brighten up the color
due to high fluorescence interference no distinct identification with Raman spectrometry (532 nm laser was used) could be achieved
Folio 111r of Codex Millenarius Maior (a) compared to folio 74r of Codex Millenarius Minor (b)
The red frames for the letters can be seen clearly in both figures
A difference in the blackening of the silver coatings between the two codices is visible
An outstanding feature of the two codices is the design of the miniature paintings at the beginning of each gospel. In cod. MMA each gospel starts with the evangelist painted on one folio with his attributes on the opposite side, whereas in Codex Millenarius Minor the saint is shown together with his symbol figure in one miniature painting (Fig. 5).
a Folios 109v and 110r of Codex Millenarius Maior compared to (b) folio 73v of Codex Millenarius Minor
The similarities in the colors can be documented in the green areas as a copper based pigment
the red parts with minium as well as the yellow areas with orpiment/realgar
Results for the measurements on folio 276v in a dark blue area of Codex Millenarius Maior
a XRF spectrum of the blue pigment (red) in comparison to the parchment (blue)
where sulfur (S) and calcium (Ca) were detected (probably gypsum)
but no indications for a blue pigment were found by XRF
b Raman spectrum of the blue pigment (red) in comparison with a reference spectrum of indigo (black)
Results for the measurements of the green pigment on fol
a rFTIR spectrum of the green pigment (red) in comparison to the 0 reference spectrum of atacamite (black)
The characteristic bands for atacamite are very weak in the measured spectrum and are stretched in the enlarged section for improved visibility
The bands at 1670 and 1334 cm−1 (marked with asterisk) indicate calcium oxalate
b XRF spectrum of the same measurement point (red) in comparison with the parchment (blue)
Copper (Cu) and chlorine (Cl) are clearly visible
According to Thompson [31]
the basic standard binding medium for illuminations in medieval times was glare
processed to a watery liquid by certain methods
Arabic gum as well as protein based binders
no binding media could be identified in our studies
The main reason may be the chemical similarities of egg white and parchment
due to the overlapping of the significant bands in the mid infrared of these compounds
no identification can be achieved by rFTIR
For Raman spectrometry binding media show in general a strong fluorescence
The characterization of the precious illuminations of the saints as well as the used inks is of historical importance
as no studies have been carried out so far and no references of investigations of other codices from the Carolingian period could be found
For the characterization of the parchment only rFTIR spectrometry provided some information about the manufacturing process and treatment of the different folios
the identification of calcium carbonates and silicates on the surface of the parchment
CaCO3 is an indicator for the liming or whitening of the animal skin
the silicates are due to polishing the surface with pumice
The combination of XRF and Raman spectrometry enabled the characterization of black/brown inks in the text as iron gall ink as well as vermilion and red lead as red inks in the initials of both codices
In some of the black/brown inks oxalates were detected by rFTIR
which indicates degradation of the binding media by mold fungi
The use of complementary methods allowed the identification of typical pigments in illuminations such as lead white
The experimental results showed as well that the same palette was used throughout the entire codex
although it was possible in sample studies with reference inks
The scientific data collected from the manuscripts underlined the authenticity of these codices
As the aim of the CIMA-project lies in a general study of different manuscripts and not only in the examination of the codices MMI and MMA
the limited period of time of several days was not sufficient to answer all questions
the results obtained so far could yield data which are useful for the historic and philological studies and it seems to extend the analysis with further complementary methods like fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) to complete the results
After the publication of the original article [1]
the authors realized several typographical errors
which are listed with the corrected version as follows
Which means: “This one is definitely a millennial codex”
Centre of Image and Material Analysis in Cultural Heritage
Institute of Science and Technology in Art
Fourier transform infrared spectrometry in the reflection mode
CIMA is an interuniversity research institution with an interdisciplinary approach aiming at the investigation of cultural heritage and was founded in 2014, see http://hrsm.caa.tuwien.ac.at/
Hochschulraum-Strukturfonds—HRSM project “Analysis and Conservation of Cultural Heritage—Modern Imaging and Material Analysis Methods for the Visualization
Documentation and Classification of Historical Written Material (Manuscripts)”
Financial support by the Federal Ministry of Science
Biccieri M. The purple Codex Rossanensis: spectroscopic characterization and first evidence of the use of the elderberry lake in a sixth century manuscript. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3341-6
First analytical evidences of precious colourants on Mediterranean illuminated manuscripts
Spectrochim Acta Part A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
van der Weerd J. Identification of pigments and gemstones on the Tours Gospel: the early 9th century Carolingian palette. Raman Spectrosc. 2004;35(4):279–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.1148
Brown KL, Clark RJH. The Lindisfarne Gospels and two other 8th century Anglo-Saxon/Insular manuscripts: pigment identification by Raman microscopy. J Raman Spectrosc. 2004;35:4–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.1110
Mit Pinsel und Federkiel: Geschichte der mittelalterlichen Buchmalerei
Illuminated manuscripts: a guide to technical terms
London: Getty Museum and British Library Board; 1994
In: Forschungen zur Geschichte Oberösterreichs Band 6
Linz: Oberösterreichisches Landesarchiv; 1959
Der Codex Millenarius und sein historischer Umkreis
In: Jahresbericht des Stiftsgymnasiums Kremsmünster 1960:7–49
Die Evangelisten und ihre Symbole im Codex Millenarius
Graz: Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA); 1977
Die alten Bestände der Stiftsbibliothek Kremsmünster
In: Der österreichische Bibliothekarstag 1980
Fill H: Katalog der Handschriften des Benediktinerstiftes Kremsmünster
Von den Anfängen bis in die Zeit des Abtes Friedrich von Aich (ca
Wien: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Schrift- und Buchwesen des Mittelalters II.3.1 1984
Raman spectroscopy for the characterisation of inks on written documents
Infrared and Raman spectroscopy in forensic science
Infrared spectroscopy in conservation science
Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute; 1999
visible reflectance spectrometry and EDXRF—to study drawings and illuminated manuscripts
The Book of Kells: a non-invasive MOLAB investigation by complementary spectroscopic techniques
Colouring materials of pre-Columbian codices: non-invasive in situ spectroscopic analysis of the Codex Cospi
Application of spectroscopic techniques to the study of illuminated manuscripts: a survey
Analyses of iron gall and carbon inks by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis: a non-destructive approach in the field of archaeometry and conservation science
FORS and XRF for the non-invasive study of medieval miniatures materials
Muralha SF, Miguel C, Melo MJ. Micro-Raman study of Medieval Cistercian 12–13th century manuscripts: santa Maria de Alcobaça, Portugal. J Raman Spectrosc Special Issue. 2012;43(11):1737–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.4065
A LabVIEW-controlled portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for the analysis of art objects
XGLab S.R.L.—Spinoff del Politechnico di Milano, Milano. 2017. http://www.xglab.it/
Infrared and Raman Users Group (IRUG), Philadelphia, USA. 2017. http://irug.org/
Enwave Optronics, Irvine, USA. 2017. http://www.tsi.com/raman-spectrometers/
The materials and techniques of medieval painting
Raman analysis of iron gall inks on parchment
All that is iron-ink is not always iron-gall
Identification of iron-gall inks with near-infrared raman microspectroscopy
Non-destructive spectroscopic investigation on historic Yemenite scriptorial fragments: evidence of different degradation and recipes for iron tannic inks
Degradation of gold and false golds used as gildings in the cultural heritage of Andalusia
Resort C: L’órnement métallique et ses alterations
Ricciardi P, Pallipurath A, Rose K. ‘It’s not easy being green’: a spectroscopic study of green pigments used in illuminated manuscripts. Anal Methods. 2013;5:3819–24. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3AY40530C
Mounier A, Daniel F. Pigments & dyes in a collection of medieval illuminations (14th–16th century). Color Res Appl. 2017;42(6):807–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/col.22146
Castro K, Sarmiento A, Martínez-Arkarazo I, Madariaga JM, Fernández LA. Green copper pigments biodegradation in cultural heritage: from malachite to moolooite, thermodynamic modeling, X-ray fluorescence, and Raman evidence. Anal Chem. 2008;80(11):4103–10. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac800255w
Bonaventura M, Del Gallo M, Cacchio P, Ercole C, Lepidi A. Microbial formation of oxalate films on monument surfaces: bioprotection or biodeterioration? Geomicrobiol J. 1999;16(1):55–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/014904599270749
Rampazzia L, Andreotti A, Bonaduce I, Colombini MP, Colombo C, Toniolo L. Analytical investigation of calcium oxalate films on marble monuments. Talanta. 2004;63(4):967–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2004.01.005
Vandenabeele P, Edwards HGM, Moens L. A decade of Raman spectroscopy in art and archaeology. Chem Rev. 2007;107:675–86. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr068036i
Download references
BF analysis heritage science objects with XRF and interprets results of XRF
WV and MS; is the lead author of the article
CF performs the Raman spectroscopy and WV the FTIR spectroscopy in the reflection mode
MS is the coordinator of the project and helps with the interpretation of results
FP is the head of the library in Kremsmuenster Abbey and provides information about the historical background of the analyzed objects
All authors read and approved the final manuscript
This project was realized in the frame of CIMA
an interuniversity research institution with an interdisciplinary approach to the investigation of cultural heritage
The authors are grateful to their partners in the project
Miklas for the proof reading and discussion of the manuscript
The authors declared that they have no competing interests
The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-018-0176-3
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
a shareable link is not currently available for this article
Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science
the next opportunity to get to know the training center – and meet St
around 100 interested people came to the Greiner training center to learn more about the fields of activity of apprenticeships and to get general information about apprenticeship training at Greiner
The Greiner apprentices of the first year of apprenticeship presented their previous work to the visitors and explained the individual work steps
they demonstrated their knowledge and carried out simple work with the guests
so that they could become active on the machines themselves
They were supported by the team of the training center
which also answered questions about the apprenticeship or the apprenticeship with Matura
The injection molding machine was used to produce a lunch box and a matching insert for it
which could hold pens and a ruler made from recycled plastic
visitors were able to make a key fob or a garden hose extension themselves
electrical engineering and IT technology had also prepared stations and talked about their training
“The coolest thing was how quickly the machine makes the lunch box
And that you can then make an insert for it that fits the recycling ruler
We made the recycling ruler out of screw caps from drinks bottles.”
who visited the open day with his siblings and parents
The next opportunity to visit the training center will be on December 6th
Nicholas Magic” takes place from 3:30 to 7:00 pm
Anyone who brings an application or a Christmas drawing will receive a full bag from Santa
The afternoon is intended for the whole family: if you want
or try your hand at the workbench and learn more about training at Greiner
Young people can already actively apply for the following apprenticeships starting in fall 2025: plastics technology and plastics process engineering
Those who decide on an apprenticeship at Greiner shouldn't wait too long
The Aurignacian site of Stratzing/Krems-Rehberg is known for its female figurine »Fanny«
The find material from the excavation work
is constantly being processed and published
a natural elevation about 5 km north of Krems
owes its discovery as a Palaeolithic site to the researcher Emil Weinfurter
who discovered artefacts and animal bones in a hollow-way in 1942
a construction pit was dug for a high-level tank of the water works of the city of Krems
when find layers were disturbed and bones and stone tools exposed
was informed of these finds and conducted first rescue excavations in the months of September and October of the same year
Christine Neugebauer-Maresch continued the excavations in 1986
it was possible to scientifically investigate more than 1,200 m² and thereby determine three different cultural layers
A small human figurine was found on a plot belonging to the Kremsmünster monastery in 1988
it is to date both the oldest artwork discovered in Austria and the oldest anthropomorphic stone figurine worldwide
six fireplaces were documented in Cultural Layer 1
eleven in Cultural Layer 2 as well as eight other charcoal deposits
The most striking are the hearths with stone encirclements designed to reflect the heat
Of the approximately 6,000 knapped stone artefacts (not counting refuse chips)
are successful refittings among five fireplaces of Layer 2
the artefacts of the excavation campaigns 1985/1986 and 1994 were recorded
The extensive complex excavated in 1988–1991
which includes Fireplace B with the figurine is currently subject to investigation in a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) conducted by Luc Moreau
A series of C14 dates assign layers 2 and 1 to an age of 32,000 to 29,000 BP
charcoal from layer 3 yielded dates well older than 40,000 BP
Only a small part of layer 3 could be excavated
which is why only a small number of diagnostic finds came to light
the profile exposed in a brickyard was re-assessed and evaluated
This included running a series of OSL-dates
The ages of Cultural Layers 1 and 2 broadly correspond to the known C14 dates; the range of samples from Layer 3
was found to be significantly older with an age of about 150,000 years
It remains to be noted that this profile is located approximately 200 m northeast of the excavated areas and its stratigraphy is therefore not necessarily identical to the excavation site
Austrian Archaeological Institute Dominikanerbastei 16 4th and 5th floor 1010 Vienna, Austria T + 43 1 51581-3483oeai(at)oeaw.ac.at
Sign up and get regular information about OeAI events and news
Libraries have long been more than simple repositories of knowledge
They are living centers of intellectual exchange
teaching and learning whose doors are firmly open to the world at large
They are places of education and of cultural and scientific transfer within their domain and at the same time open portals to global information
Libraries stand for communication with the past
libraries were and remain statements of prestige as well as aesthetic and architectural sophistication
These houses of knowledge and its appropriation have inspired secular and spiritual authorities since the Early Modern Era to devote particular attention to their design and décor—as abundantly witnessed by these impressive photographs
Our own present is no less possessed of this creative urge: “Lately
people all over the world have been building fabulous temples to books,” noted the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung in March 2014
The image of the temple invoked here is another familiar metaphor for libraries
It reflects a feeling of respect and veneration for something more sublime
perhaps not necessarily in the religious or metaphysical sense
but undoubtedly for something that looks beyond the limits of our individual lives
In a veritable declaration of love to libraries
the German physician and entertainer Eckart von Hirschhausen (b
1967) recently expressed it thus: “We are part of a great work that looks beyond each individual.” And there is something else that people find in the reading-rooms of these book temples: quiet—a quiet that
is probably only otherwise found in places of worship outside times of service
From Massimo Listri. The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries by Elisabeth Sladek and Georg Ruppelt
Czech Republic Copyright: Massimo Listri / TASCHEN
Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature
Masthead
About
Sign Up For Our Newsletters
How to Pitch Lit Hub
Privacy Policy
Support Lit Hub - Become A Member
Lit Hub has always brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall
you'll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving
Stiftsbibliothek Sankt Gallen, St. Gallen, SwitzerlandThis post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info
Photographer Massimo Listri is known for his incredible images of palaces
he's published over 70 books that tell the stories of well-known interiors
his newest photography book gathers images of libraries around the world
paying homage to these temples of learning
Massimo Listri. The World's Most Beautiful Libraries
who traveled far and wide to celebrate their art and architecture
Moving from Baroque and Rococo interiors to the sumptuous wood shelving of 19th-century libraries
these images demonstrate the care and thought placed into creating a sanctuary of learning
“At once a bibliophile beauty pageant
and an evocation of the particular magic of print, Massimo Listri
The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries is above all a cultural-historical pilgrimage to the heart of our halls of learning
as much as those they gather in printed matter along polished shelves.”
and private libraries dated as far back as 766 are included in Listri's masterful collection
The photos highlight the best of the interiors
and the beautiful symmetry of these learning centers
Each photograph is accompanied by details about the individual library
allowing readers to go inside the history of the location
Biblioteca Statale Oratoriana dei Girolamini
Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève
Massimo Listri: Website | Instagram
Photographer Spends Almost 10 Years Photographing the Most Beautiful Libraries Around the World
Photographer Captures Beautiful Symmetrical Shots of Libraries Around the World
Traveling Photographer Captures Most Beautiful Libraries Around the World
New Magnificent Photos of Beautiful Libraries around the World
The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World
Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media
Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening
Medievalists.net
A medieval ring from the late 9th to mid 10th century
has been been revealed to be one of the earliest Christian artefacts found in that country
The ring was found from a fortification at Grzybowo
one of the largest strongholds built during the formation of the Piast dynasty in the tenth century
The ring was discovered with a metal detector near a place where archaeologists had previously found a treasure trove of medieval coins
researchers thought the ring was a Viking object due to the very high density and tightness of the weaves depicting animals
we thought that the ring came from Scandinavia
it turns out that the most similar motifs adorning such objects come from Western Europe
where Christianity was already dominant in the 8th century,” says archaeologist Mirosław Andrałojć
This alloy was highly valued and used in the production of jewellery for people of high status
because its colour was more golden than common bronze
but rather a proof his proficiency: the product was adapted to the anatomy of the human finger
the ring would not slip off the wearer’s finger
the wearer should turn the ring 45 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise
The sides of the ring are covered with overlapping images of birds
and the crown is decorated with a floral winding arranged in the shape of a medallion with a central depiction of a lying animal
Researchers noticed a similar motif on a Carolingian brooch in the collections of the British Museum in London
that it is an image of Agnus Dei (the Lamb of God) and the peacocks surrounding it
which corresponds to our knowledge of the symbolism of the peacock as a symbol of the Resurrection,” Andrałojć said
Researchers saw similar types of ornament weave on decorative candlesticks from the Kremsmünster abbey in Upper Austria
It remains an open question how such a valuable object reached Polish lands and when exactly it happened
The stronghold in Grzybowo existed from the 920s to the middle of the 11th century
“We cannot answer the question of how a product with such clear Christian iconography ended up in the stronghold in Grzybowo – whether it was a gift
or proof of belonging to a Christian community,” Andrałojć addeed
The archaeologists hope that art historians will now analyse the object
The ring was found in 2003 by Mirosław and Małgorzata Andrałojć together with the archaeologist Mariusz Tuszyński
who at that time headed the research work in the stronghold in Grzybowo
We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model
We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval
podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages
We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast
and remove the advertising on our platforms
This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce
they sang songs from English fairy tale books and today they sell out sports halls… With the reputation of being the most distinctive indie-rock band in German speaking countries
Bilderbuch is a young four-member band from Kremsmünster
but they take inspiration from other genres as well
The band members wear glamour accessories you would hardly find in fancy Viennese boutiques: they are mostly from second hand shops
At the end of February, their third album Schick Schock came out and made it to the top in Austria right way. Spiegel weekly says their mix of pop-funk-R&B-hip-hop on this album sounds better than ever before
Their vocalist Maurice Ernst said for Die Presse that the band fights against dogmas and stereotypes in music
See for yourself how good they are at it at this year’s Pohoda
By using this website you agree to the use of cookies. More information I understand
Das Land Oberösterreich ordnet seine Kulturdepots neu und versucht
Die Ausstellungsräume des Schlosses Kremsegg im Stiftsort Kremsmünster werden aus Kostengründen geschlossen
Jährlich 470.000 Euro Förderung aus dem Kulturbudget des Landes bei stagnierenden 1000 Besuchern war einfach zu viel
1800 Blas- und 170 Tasteninstrumente wandern von Kremsmünster nach Linz
Seit mehr als zwei Jahren kreisen über dem 1996 gegründeten Musikinstrumentenmuseum Schloss Kremsegg die Dämonen der Schließung
Für den Verein Musica wurde es immer schwieriger
den Betrieb des Musikinstrumentenmuseums zu führen
Über das interessierte Fachpublikum hinaus Besucher anzusprechen ist nicht gelungen und die Besucherzahlen blieben trotz intensiven Bemühens weit hinter den Erwartungen
Die Musikinstrumentensammlung beinhaltet die weltgrößte Sammlung an Blechblasinstrumenten
die aus den USA nach Europa zurückgeholt wurde
Die 1200 Exponate sollen in der Landesgalerie einquartiert werden
Zur Blasinstrumentensammlung zählen auch Jazztrompeten
wie jene der US-Amerikaner Lois Armstrong und Dizzy Gillespie und die älteste Sopran-Zugposaune von 1677
Nach einer wissenschaftlichen Befundung der Objekte sollen die Exponate bereits im kommenden Jahr nach Linz transferiert werden
was mit dem Schloss Kremsegg nach der Schließung geschieht
Aktueller Eigentümer von Schloss und Bestand ist der Verein „Musica Kremsmünster“ mit Geschäftsführer Konrad Fleischanderl
Nach der Vereinsauflösung geht das Schloss
das nach wirtschaftlichen Schwierigkeiten des früheren Eigentümers Werner Lutzky und dessen Glas-Unternehmen übernommen wurde
Schloss Kremsegg war eines der international renommiertesten Museen des Landes
Es entsprach dem hohen Niveau der heimischen Musiklandschaft und stellte das kulturgeschichtliche Pendant zu den vielen Landesmusikschulen und Musikvereinen in Oberösterreich dar
Das Museum beherbergte die weltgrößte Sammlung an Blechblasinstrumenten
Die Sammlung ist von großer internationaler Bedeutung
Neben dem großen Bestand an Instrumenten gehören auch eine umfangreiche Bibliothek
eine Phonothek und ein beträchtliches Fotoarchiv zu dieser bedeutenden Sammlung
Jetzt anmelden
Jetzt den passenden Job auf regionaljobs.at finden
Finde jetzt deine neue Immobilie auf immobilien.tips.at
Passwort vergessen?