The Mysterious "Black Book" - Researchers Discover Ghostly Images in Ancient Manuscript

01/09/2015, 09:43

For three years, scientists from the prestigious Cambridge University examined an ancient book: the "Black Book of Carmarthen." Then they made a sensational accidental discovery. Two ghostly eyes stared back at them from the book.

The "Black Book" contains numerous heroic legends and ancient poems.

The book provides the earliest hints of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin.

It was examined using the latest technology.

The "Black Book of Carmarthen" is an important cultural treasure of England. It is the oldest surviving bound book in the Welsh language and was created in the 13th century. During the examination of the pages, the researchers discovered that beneath the ink of the centuries-old poems, drawings were also hidden.

The researchers estimate that the portraits were added later between the 14th and 15th centuries into the 54-page book. Almost a century later, as scientists believe, a man probably named Jasper Gryffyth erased all additional verses, marginal notes, and doodles from the book.

"What we discovered is probably just the tip of the iceberg; with even better techniques, certainly more material can be uncovered," said Paul Russel.

The Black Book, named after its deep black cover, provides some of the earliest references to King Arthur and the wizard Merlin. While only hints exist regarding Arthur, his grave is described in detail within the text. Merlin is given more authority. For example, two poems in the middle of the book are about his time as a "wild man." At the beginning of the book, a dialogue between the wizard and the Welsh poet Taliesin is also presented.

Here is the original article on Focus: https://focus.de/4598835