Nuovi frammenti di manoscritti ebraici medievali riusati come legature nell’Archivio di Stato della Repubblica di San Marino

What is it about?

This study presents findings from systematic research conducted at the State Archives of the Republic of San Marino. The research focused on uncovering, cataloging, and identifying medieval Hebrew sheets of manuscripts and parchments. These sheets were re-used during the early modern period as binding components for books and notarial registers of various types. The present article is structured into three key sections: an introduction to the phenomenon of manuscript reuse, a detailed analysis of the identified sources, and a conclusion summarizing the study's insights.

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Photo by Tanner Mardis on Unsplash

Photo by Tanner Mardis on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The folios and bifolios analyzed in this study are part of the phenomenon known as the “Italian” or “European” Genizah, which plays a crucial role in the preservation of significant, albeit fragmentary, quantities of manuscript material. Over the centuries, a series of events undermined their preservation, leaving these materials at risk of being lost to oblivion. The work conducted could therefore prove valuable for future comparisons with fragments yet to be discovered, with the aim of partially or fully reconstructing historically and literarily significant sources.