Witch-hunting, Dog-men, and a World Chronicle: Researching a 500-Year Old Codex at PSU

In September of 2018, our library acquired a codex printed in 1490 which became the subject of a long-term research project here at Portland State University. The book contains two different texts: a world chronicle, known as the Fasciculus temporum, and a second edition copy of the Malleus Maleficarum, the most comprehensive treatise on witch hunting produced in the late Middle Ages. This panel consists of five students, graduates and undergraduates, who conducted research on different topics relating to the codex during spring term, 2020. The host of the panel, John Ott, is Chair of the History Department, a specialist in medieval history who is leading this ongoing project. Five students talk about their research topics, which ranged from translating the marginal notation found in the codex to analyzing the watermarks in an effort to localize the paper trade.

Watch Carolee Harrison of PSU Library Special Collections introduce the codex.