The medieval manuscript, NLW MS 735C, on astronomy is a collection of numerous Latin texts on astronomy. A majority of the manuscript is a Latin translation of Aratus’ Phaenomena which was an early Greek work on constellations and the rules of astronomy. The other portion of the manuscript is an assortment of other texts on astronomy and astrology by various authors. The manuscript was copied in two parts, both in France between 1000 and 1150 C.E. Because not much is known about the origin of this manuscript, it is difficult to determine what the intentions were for the work and who the work was done for without making assumptions. However, looking at the dimensions, characteristics, and contents of the book allows us to see how this possibly unfinished manuscript on medieval astronomy depicted the beginnings of the astronomy we know today.
As mentioned earlier, there is no extensive history on the manuscript. It was a translation by Germanicus Julius Caesar. Later on, the translation was copied into a full manuscript. It is not explicitly stated who the manuscript was for or what the intended audience was. However, we do know that the script used was Carolingian miniscule which meant that those who could read Latin could easily understand this text. We can therefore assume that this manuscript was intended for the educated class of the medieval times who wanted to know more about astronomy – those who could potentially extend the work of the texts.
The content of this book is exclusively information and illustrations on astronomy. The first few pages of the manuscript are only text. Then we see light outlines of diagrams and illustrations. The illustration on page 9 of the manuscript shows familiar symbols of what we know today as zodiac signs. For example, in the left region, there is an animal that resembles a ram symbolic of the Aries sign. In the center, the twins are representative of the Gemini sign. The crab-like structure also in the center of the circle is symbolic of the Cancer sign (NLW MS 735C 9). On page 10, we see, in the middle tier, drawings of a scorpion, a centaur with a crossbow, a sea goat (half-goat half-fish), a “water bearer”, and two fish which represent Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces respectively (NLW MS 735C 10). On page 11, we see multiple concentric circles with all of the zodiac representations at the edge (NLW MS 735C 11). In the rest of the manuscript, drawings are weaved in throughout the text.
The drawings seem unfinished as shown by the lower drawings on page 10 where some parts of the sketches of the two men are faded out. The man on the right has distorted hands that seem as though they are meant to hold onto a wheel that had not yet been drawn (NLW MS 735C 10). The illustrations are also not colored nor are they shaded in which could mean that the either the work or the manuscript remained unfinished. Throughout the manuscript, there are also very limited colors. On selected pages, the color red is used to emphasize the bigger lettering. On several pages, red and green are used to color in or add design to a small percentage of the illustrations. The lack of color could mean that there was no intention of adding color or there was not enough money or time to add in all the desired colors.
This minimalism reflects on the simplicity of the outside of the manuscript as well. The cover is dark brown and seems leathery. There are marginal designs but compared to the more elegant manuscripts from the medieval times, the outside of this one seems fairly plain. The manuscript had to be rebound in 17th century London. Additionally, the manuscript is relatively large. According to the Kodak Grey Scale (shown next to the manuscript pages), the manuscript is approximately nine inches tall and six inches wide with a total of 100 pages. A larger book indicates that it was not meant to be used for personal use but rather for a bigger group of people.
Today, the manuscript remains in The National Library of Wales. After it was produced, the journey of this manuscript remains relatively unknown. However, it did make its way to the Plas Power library in Denbigshire in the 19th century. From there, it is believed to have been with Thomas Lloyd, a Welsh lexicographer until it was finally moved to The National Library of Wales. This manuscript still remains one of the oldest in the library and critical to the understanding of early astronomy in the Middle Ages.