Rare medieval notebook found in latrine in Paderborn

Archaeologists have uncovered a medieval notebook in a former latrine in Paderborn. The remarkably well-preserved leather, wood and wax find may shed new light on everyday life in the 13th and 14th centuries. The excavations were carried out in connection with the construction of a new administrative building in Paderborn, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. During the work, archaeologists under the supervision of the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) discovered the notebook in one of five exposed medieval latrines. Dr Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger, head of cultural affairs at the LWL, stresses that this is a unique find: "Unusual as it may sound, latrines are often extremely rich sources of material for archaeologists." The object, which is around 700 to 800 years old, measures just 10 by 7.5 centimetres. It consists of wooden tablets coated with wax, protected by a leather cover embossed with a lily motif. In the Middle Ages, notes could be scratched into the wax layer with a stylus, then erased and written over again. The notebook comprises ten pages, eight of which are inscribed on both sides. According to the archaeologists, the text is written in Latin and appears to be the work of a single hand. In the Middle Ages, the centre of Paderborn was home mainly to wealthy citizens and merchants. Traders were among the few members of medieval society who could read and write. Silk probably used as toilet paper Another indication of the social status of the latrine users are remnants of silk fabric, which may have been used as toilet paper. Paradoxically, the notebook owes its remarkable state of preservation to the place where it was discarded. The hermetically sealed, damp and low-oxygen environment of the latrine prevented the organic materials from decaying. LWL restorer Susanne Bretzel reported that the find initially appeared inconspicuous: "Encased in a lump of wet soil and hardly recognisable at first, the object only became visible during cleaning in our restoration workshop in Münster," she said. "Even after so many centuries in the ground, the latrine find still smelled distinctly unpleasant." The pages inside had been tightly pressed together, which protected the wax layers from dirt and deformation. According to Bretzel, the wooden tablets had not warped, so the writing is still easily legible. The conservation work is expected to take up to a year. Researchers are currently examining the materials of the object, including the wax, possible resin components, pigments and the types of wood used. Until the analyses are completed, the organic components will be stored in distilled water. Once the analysis is complete, the researchers plan to decipher the content of the notes.