28-11-2025, 10:18 AM
Consider what society was like at that time. The 15th century was a time of great change, was the start of the cultural movement that later became the Renaissance. It was a time of new ideas, new philosophies. The classical view of the universe was being challenged. Belief in magic, religion, medicine, astrology and in other secret sciences was strong. Books on these topics formed the new 'information age'. Reading and writing were at the heart of scientific advancement. Manuscripts were prized possessions and were eagerly acquired by those who could afford them. Manuscripts from some unknown land and in an unknown alphabet would have been of particular curiosity and could have commanded a premium on the market.
This scenario seems to me to be the most likely. The writings were not written by someone for their own personal use but were a fabrication to feed the fashion for such works, to be sold for dishonest profit, and changed hands soon after their completion.
This scenario seems to me to be the most likely. The writings were not written by someone for their own personal use but were a fabrication to feed the fashion for such works, to be sold for dishonest profit, and changed hands soon after their completion.