This project uses genetics to unlock the secrets of medieval parchment books and their makers.
The main goal of this project is to leverage recent developments in genetic techniques to advance the study of medieval parchment books. Parchment represents an unparalleled archeological resource for a wide variety of science and humanities fields because it provides an untapped reservoir of millions of samples from over a thousand-year period containing evidence of book production practices, human-animal interaction, and agricultural history. Recent advances in genetic techniques permit the nondestructive sampling of these cultural heritage artifacts for the first time in history. This proposal offers NCSU an opportunity to be a pioneer in this emerging interdisciplinary field via a team with complementary research interests and proven records of success in relevant disciplines.
Matthew Breen (CVM), Benjamin Callahan (CVM), Kelly Meiklejohn (CVM), Melissa Scheible (CVM), Timothy Stinson (CHASS), and Rachael Thomas (CVM).
This project features a highly interdisciplinary team from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Areas of expertise of team members include forensic biology, medieval studies, computational biology, and comparative genetics and genomics.
Above: Logos of College of Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University.
North Carolina State University, College of Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine
2020 to present
Genetics, Science and humanities, Manuscript studies, Book history