Scriptura Beneventana – Example of European Calligraphic Script in the Middle Ages. A Contribution to the Research of Manuscripts Written in Beneventan Script from Croatia
Tomislav Galović
Scriptura Beneventana was a Medieval Latin script that developed from the ancient Roman cursive minuscule of pre-Carolingian type in second half 8th century. It mostly used south Italy, where it originated Benedictine monastery Monte Cassino, and Dalmatia (especially scriptorium Abbey St Chrisogonus Zadar). The Beneventan along with Italian minuscule, Curial script, Insular scripts (scripturae insulares), Visigothic (Mozarabic) Merovingian make up so-called group national European Middle Ages. (Latin scriptura or littera Beneventana) is so called because area Benevento (Duchy Benevento) southern Italy. also Langobardisca, Langobardica signifying its origins within realm Lombards (what wrong!). as such approximately century until 14th 15th century, although there are examples late 16th In long period we can observe 4 phases development (establishment, evolution, perfected form declining thereafter). common bookhand (scriptura libraria), especially liturgica, charters documentaria). Croatia Ages parallel Carolingian minuscule. calligraphic moments identification marks (in ‘mature’ style) are: letters a, e, r, t ; many quasi obligatory ligatures e. g.: ci, fi, gi, li, ri, ti some unique ways to signify abbreviations contractions, initial letters, ductus etc. That style makes appearance early 11th beginning 12th Numerous manuscripts illuminated. Today have numerous historical sources written hand, for example: Epistolae Ioannis VIII, Reg. Vat. 1 (and more else, see: E. A. Lowe, Script, I-II, 1980, V. Brown, A Second New List Manuscripts, 1978-). most important (Dalmatia) Passionale – Liber psalmorum (MR 164a), Missale Beneventanum 166) Evangeliarium Absarense horarum Cichae, abbatissae monasterii sanctae Mariae monialium de Iadra Vekenegae notatum ecclesiae cathedralis Ragusii saec. XII Traguriense Thomae Archidiaconi Historia Salonitanorum atque Spalatinorum pontificum (Codex Spalatensis) Chartulare sancti Chrisogoni