19-01-2016, 11:01 AM
Wax tablets were very common in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. You would make your marks in the wax, and once finished with the work, gently warm it and erase all the writing, leaving a fresh new copy for you.
Of course, they were slowly replaced in the 17th century onwards by slates and chalk. But trading before then meant chalk and slates were too expensive for such common use in parts of Europe where they weren't native.
(The theory is Pellings, not Stolfi's, my original post wasn't very clear).
But I agree that the text is most probably copied. Whether from an earlier manuscript or a temporary mashup is of course up to speculation.
Of course, they were slowly replaced in the 17th century onwards by slates and chalk. But trading before then meant chalk and slates were too expensive for such common use in parts of Europe where they weren't native.
(The theory is Pellings, not Stolfi's, my original post wasn't very clear).
But I agree that the text is most probably copied. Whether from an earlier manuscript or a temporary mashup is of course up to speculation.