Rare Centuries-Old Notebook Discovered in Medieval Latrine

Excavations in Paderborn uncovered five latrines beneath early modern structures. A palm-sized notebook made of leather, wood, and wax was found exceptionally well preserved in the damp, airtight chambers. The outer surface required cleaning, while the tightly bound inner pages stayed free of dirt. The wood showed little warping, the wax remained intact, and the writing was easily legible. The notebook appears to have belonged to a merchant and was used to record business dealings and quick thoughts. Eight of ten pages are double-sided with wax for repeated writing and erasing using a stylus. The Latin text is in a single cursive hand dating from the 13th to late 14th century. Researchers plan transcription and use advanced technologies to read both the current writing and older wax rubbings, and to study the leather binding decorated with embossed lilies.

"Excavations carried out ahead of the construction of a municipal administrative building in the historic heart of Paderborn, central Germany, uncovered a row of five latrines beneath early modern structures. Although researchers acknowledged the site retained "a rather unpleasant odor," the damp and airtight chambers were ideal for preservation. The palm-sized notebook is made of leather, wood, and wax, materials that show few signs of decay even after 700 to 800 years underground."

""I only had to clean the outside of the book, as the inner pages were so tightly bound that there was no dirt on them," Susanne Bretzel, the conservator at the region's Archaeology for Westphalia (LWL) who discovered the notebook, said in a statement. "The wood also hadn't warped, so the wax is still intact and the writing itself is easily legible.""

"Initial signs suggest the notebook belonged to a merchant and was used to track business dealings and record quick thoughts. Eight of the 10 pages are double-sided with wax, which allowed the owner to write and erase notes repeatedly using a stylus, an instrument that is pointed at one end and flat at the other. The research team is currently working to transcribe the text, which is Latin, written in a single hand and in a cursive style dating from the 13th to the late 14th century."

"Researchers hope to better understand who wrote the book and what purpose it served by deciphering the words inscribed on wax-not simply the most recent recordings, but older rubbings too, through the latest archaeological technologies. Further evidence may emerge from research into the leather binding itself, which is decorated with rows of embossed lilies, a symbol of purity and royalty in the Middle Ages."

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