Centuries-old parchment manuscripts may hold more than written records. Scientists have developed a non-destructive technique to recover DNA from historical parchments, potentially allowing researchers to investigate ancient trade, agriculture, livestock and manuscript origins without damaging the valuable documents.
Parchment, made from animal skin, was widely used for thousands of years across Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa. Legal documents, maps and other historical records were often written on the material. Because parchment is made from animal skin, biological material can remain preserved within it, creating an unexpected genetic archive of the past.
Researchers from North Carolina State University and collaborating institutions demonstrated the technique by collecting cellular material from 91 historical manuscripts housed in the Rubenstein Library at Duke University. The documents originated from regions including England and Ethiopia and dated from the late eighth century to the early 20th century.
The sampling process is relatively simple and does not require cutting or removing a piece of parchment. Researchers gently rub the surface with a dry cytology brush, similar to those used in medical cell collection. The brush collects cellular material while leaving the manuscript intact.
The collected material is then processed using forensic-level, next-generation sequencing techniques to recover and analyse genetic sequences.
The researchers say the approach could provide information about the animals used to produce parchment, potentially helping establish where and when particular manuscripts were created. It could also shed light on the history of domesticated animals, including the development of breeds and the spread of livestock diseases.
The technique addresses a major challenge in the emerging field of genetic analysis of historical documents. Libraries, museums and archives have traditionally been cautious about allowing destructive sampling of rare manuscripts because even small physical interventions can damage culturally significant artefacts.
By demonstrating that genetic material can be collected without harming parchment, the researchers hope the method will make more institutions willing to participate in such studies.
The research could also create new connections between genetics, archaeology and historical scholarship. Genetic information preserved in parchment may provide evidence that complements written records, helping researchers investigate ancient agricultural practices, animal movements and trade networks.
The study, titled “Adventures in the Animal Archive: New Techniques for the Genetic Analysis of Parchment Manuscripts,” was published in the journal Manuscript Studies.
Researchers describe historic parchment as a largely unexplored source of biological and historical information. By combining genetic analysis with traditional approaches to studying manuscripts, the technique could open a new window into everyday life and human activity from more than a thousand years ago.
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