The subject of the FWF Weave Project is the study of the book bindings of medieval codices and incunabula from the library and archive of Klosterneuburg Abbey – the second-largest, still preserved collection of medieval book holdings in Austria, remaining in its original location. As part of the project, these book bindings are systematically documented and described for the first time from a codicological perspective. Special attention is paid to the materials used and the bookbinding techniques employed. Additionally, all motifs of the stamps used for decorating the leather bindings are documented and made accessible online via manuscripta.at und the Einbanddatenbank (EBDB). This empirical foundation serves not only for art and book historical analysis but also forms the basis for an innovative scientific subproject:

The historical and codicological research results provide reliable chronological frameworks for calibrating an External Reflectance (ER) module of the Bruker Alpha II Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The spectral data collected in this process are analyzed using multivariate statistical methods to determine the oxidation and degradation levels of organic materials. The aim of the project is to evaluate the potential of FTIR spectroscopy as a non-destructive, cost-effective method for dating historical manuscript and bookbinding materials. In doing so, the project makes a significant contribution to the advancement of analytical methods in book history research and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Links

• https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imafo/forschung/schrift-buchwesen/einbandforschung
• https://www.oeaw.ac.at/news/pionierarbeit-bei-der-entschluesselung-des-alters-von-mittelalterlichen-bucheinbaenden
• https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imafo/forschung/schrift-buchwesen/abc-ancient-book-crafts
• https://hslab.fkkt.uni-lj.si/2022/04/11/abc-ancient-book-crafts/