The Ranuzzi Manuscript Collection

Today was normal.  You know, class, bike riding, reading thru 16th century manuscripts.....

Today after my first class, I headed over to the Harry Ransom Center.  The Center is a world class repository for - well pretty much anything in the world.  The HRC holds artifacts such as manuscripts (my current infatuation), music, oral histories, film, set designs, costumes (they recently saved Scarlett O'Hara's dress from further decline), screenplays, writings, some of Shakespeare's original work, art, rare books, photographs and whatever else you'd want to research to your little heart's content.

This semester I am taking a class where we analyze old (11th-19th Century) Manuscripts.  From our observations we hope to learn how to recognize what it is that makes the Manuscript, rare book or art book so important.We also have been learning how these books were constructed and repaired numerous times over their life span.  One interesting thing my professor said in class the other day was that, "If you are looking at such an old piece of work, chances are this book was stolen at least once during it's lifetime."  That's one of the ways such artifacts have survived human exposure.  They are treasured and keep us fascinated for ages.  Even after we're dead they're in the hands of a new eager reader, dealer or lover of books.

At the time of history we are looking at (10-16th Cen.) most Manuscripts were used as Hymn books, Genealogical References, and Records (be it Business or Medical).

The particular collection we're dealing with for our first assignment are the Ranuzzi Manuscripts.

Today the three 16th Century Italian Manuscripts i read dealt with Genealogical lines of various Venetian families from 419 AD - 1000 AD.  With the little Italian I remember i could verify some sentences like, "Graziano, has the fair love of his wife, Crispina."  One family's last name was listed as "HOMOBON".  I guess the last name of "Goodman" must be really old and most likely in some form of last name in every country.  But that is just speculation.  There were also "Amo" and "Amici". "I love" and "Friends" in Italian.  

When I hold these rarities in my young hands, I cannot get swept away by the idea that I am looking at someone's handwriting who has been away from this world since the 16th century.  What were they like and what did they do all day?  Who did they love or love to hate, and did they have a family?  Were they noble or an apprentice?  At this point you can close your eye lids and almost see a face coming to mind.

Did they think it would be in America, a land they knew little about and would never visit?  Did they think a young woman - of all people - would be handling this book, let alone know how to read it?

And who has owned this book?!  Was it ever stolen or sold or bought?

Looking at the 500 year old parchment the mind begins to wander.

Hopefully my fascination with history and antiquated items will never cease.  It is too thrilling to know the proof of where we have come from and where we are going.

Also! For the prophets of the electronic reformatting world that say EVERYTHING will go digital, I disagree.  Even if everything is converted to digital format we will always want the hard copy.  And paper will still be bought.  Not all writers can write on laptops.  Nor can you ever stop 4th grade girls from passing notes.  There are certain things that are too close to the heart to change with time.



Digitizing my diary would be a pain in the ass.