Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 1074
Codicology
| Produced: | France (?), 10th-11th century |
| Current Location: | Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City, Vatican |
| Manuscript Type: | Miscellany |
| Bestiary Family: | First : B-Is |
| Language: | Latin |
| Folios: | 56 |
| Illustrated: | No |
| Media: | Parchment / Paper |
| Script: | Carolingian miniscule |
| Dimensions: | Height: 20 cm Width: 14.5 cm |
Description
This is a two part manuscript.
Part one: 10th - 11th century, on parchment, contains the Latin Physiologus (folio 1r - 21r) and excerpts from Books 12 and 16 of the Etymologiae of Isidore of Seville (folio 21v - 22r), along with other unrelated theological works.
Part two, 16th century, paper, contains the Descriptio Nova Elephanti of Pierre Gilles. Folio 30r - 54r.
[From McCulloch, 1962 page 29, note 29]
A point of particular interest in this manuscript is that it shows how the large Second Family bestiary could have been composed. At the end of the entire Physiologus with its fixed passages from Isidore, the scribe has continued (f. 21v) De etimologiarun libro, and has apparently aimlessly copied and somewhat elaborated on Isidore's descriptions of the Psitacus, Ercine [sic], and Coturnix - birds totally unrelated to the old Physiologus contents. All that was then needed was a more systematic borrowing from Isidore, which would result in the highly organized Second Family bestiary...
Additional Descriptions
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