Ecrire et lire en Catalogne (IXe–XIIe siècle)
Roger Collins
Ecrire et lire en Catalogne (IXe–XIIe siècle). By MICHEL ZIMMERMANN (Madrid: Casa de Velázquez, 2003 (2 vols.); pp. xxii + 1403. Eur 64). ON 16 April 1044 a woman called Alba wrote in neat and competent hand deed of sale favour herself her husband, on behalf the vendor; then signing it herself: femina scripsit. What is unique about this document among thousands original charters that have survived from ninth to twelfth-century Catalonia was written by lay woman. This all more remarkable for fact very few indeed large corpus texts can even an autograph signature be found. They normally just used mark or signum instead. Similarly, Catalan nuns period are almost invisible documentary record, their houses seem entirely lacking book-producing scriptoria were so notable feature several greater Carolingian Ottonian convents time. thus than extraordinary. Her document, reproduced book full colour (on p. 1256, not 1248 as claimed 110 note 157), shows she could only write but well. Where why acquired skill known, nor anything else recorded life.
The English Historical Review