Interdisciplinary exploration of medieval technical manuscripts from the Iberian Peninsula

ABSTRACT This work examines the interdisciplinary methodology currently used to study medieval technical manuscripts and recipe books from the Iberian Peninsula. The methodology is based on both formal and content analysis, including classic paleographic and codicological approaches and the use of scientific techniques on the physical medium, including parchment or paper, inks and pigments, and covers. From the point of view of content, the technical procedures described in the Hispanic recipes can be compared to those presented in other European texts and the technical literature of other historical periods. Not only has this yielded excellent results, but it has also allowed the experimental reproduction of the processes described in these recipes, permitting researchers to verify their validity and to reproduce forms of medieval knowledge with possible applications in the twenty-first century.