15thc perception on swallowtail merlons?

[Hallfiry]

This painting is a lot more similar to Ragusa in the book than most other depictions. Especially the round towers are present. The fortifications at the harbour are somehow not there: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Sadly, the author gives no source.
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[R. Sale]

Following on from Castello di Salorno, Haderburg, there is Castel d'Enna (Schloss Enn) which looks like a similar possibility.

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The last photo shows the wall.

Also ran into some illustrations, which are hopefully new. Some of them lack a few details, like a proposed location. The forth image is Constantinople with swallowtail merlons. The banner on the right, a black lion rampant on gold, is the insignia of Flanders. So this is probably depicting the fourth Crusade and the era of Baldwin of Flanders.

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The seventh illustration shows that Troy also was pictured with swallowtail merlons, and they also appear in "Queste del Saint Graal" and the others.

Or perhaps the real perspective is that all but one were made in Italy and the majority of those in Milan or Venice.

[Koen G]

That's a nice collection! I will add them tomorrow.

[Koen G]

Not sure what to do with this one: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
For location it says "Rome ?"

Also, what would be the most sensible place to mark for this MS? You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. 
"Bayern" is like half of southern Germany.

[Koen G]

Diane sent me a number of examples:

* Bodrum castle: this would be an interesting entry to expand the map, but I'm not sure if the merlons are pre-1450. A glance at the wiki shows that its defenses were strengthened after 1500 and the castle was besieged several times. Certain parts of the walls look like the merlons were original though, so I'd be inclined to include it.

*Apparently there are several castles with swallowtail merlons in Cicily.
Castello di Caccamo
Castello di Venere
Castello di Sperlinga
Castello di Carini

* c. 1330 - 1340: BL Royal MS 20 D I (Naples) This manuscript is full of castles, and swallowtail merlons appear on a few of them, like You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

* Almeria castle

[Aga Tentakulus]

For me, in the case of the VM manuscript, none of the 3 castles (Bourtzi GR, Rhodes GR and St.Peter TR) have any significance as far as the battlements are concerned.

It is nice to see that some are found outside of Italy, but they are almost certainly all after 1500.
I would keep it with a note.

1st Bourtzi Castle Grichenland.
Built from 1471-1473. But only the tower. But this very one has none of the battlements. The rest of the castle was only added in 1696. Now it also has dovetail battlements.

Rhodes and Bodrum have the same crown battlements.
Rhodes was reinforced in 1468-1479. The round battlements are still preserved in 3 places.
The problem, around 1650 the Dodge of Venice made some more changes on Rhodes.
The tower of St. Nicolas on Rhodes, built 1464-67 also has these crown battlements.
This is what we see in Bodrum and Rhodes. Most of the battlements in Rhodes were added in 1800 after the powder explosion. Rebuilt by the Italians. Old version crown battlements, new version dovetails.

As I said, it's nice to know, but as a reverence, it's not important to me.

Translated with You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (free version)

[R. Sale]

Here are a bunch of illustrations, all from the same source: BNF Latin 9333, a version of Tacuinum sanitatis. There are also plenty of square merlons shown as well.

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More interesting, perhaps, is the source's provenance; Rhineland, 1400-1425. It's a strong indicator of more western representation - and it obviously has dating contemporary with the VMs.

[Koen G]

I am uncertain about the dating for that MS, which is why I haven't included it earlier. Some estimates go as late as 1470. Either way it is a copy of the Italian MS.

[Koen G]

Diane sent a good example from the Zibaldone da Canal, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., 1350-1400 Venice. It shows swallowtail merlons on a number of buildings:

   

[Aga Tentakulus]

Question for Marco:
When you read from the book of Venice, would you say that it is quite close to today's Italian or rather difficult to read?
Are there any major characteristics?