At first glance, the peaks of a spectrum may not look much like a medieval calf. But in biocodicology, this is exactly where the animal begins to appear.
In the CHARM project, we use proteomic analysis ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), to identify the animal species used to make medieval parchment. Since parchment is produced from animal skin, it’s packed with collagen that is preserved even after hundreds of years.
The process begins with the careful collection of microscopic collagen fibers from the parchment surface. These proteins are then analysed with mass spectrometry, producing a spectrum filled with peaks. Each peak corresponds to fragments of collagen molecules with slightly different masses.
By selecting specific peaks and comparing them against published reference datasets, we can identify characteristic “markers” for different animals. Certain peak combinations indicate calf, others sheep or goat. A medieval calf, in this sense, becomes visible not through an image, but through a molecular fingerprint.
What makes this especially exciting is that these tiny protein traces allow us to study manuscript production in entirely new ways. Which animals were preferred for certain books? Did parchment quality vary between writing centres? Were local materials used, or imported ones?
Sometimes, understanding medieval culture begins with reading the invisible.
You can watch a short video on ZooMS here: