Documenta & Instrumenta - Documenta et Instrumenta
Documenta & Instrumenta (ISSN 1697-4328, ISSN-e 1697-3798) is a scientific journal containing original, unpublished articles. Founded in October 2003 by Juan Carlos Galende Díaz and Javier de Santiago Fernández, from the History of Americas and Medieval and Historiographical Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid, it aims to increase knowledge of the subjects included in this area (Palaeography, Diplomacy, Epigraphy, Numismatics and related sciences). It is intended for the national and international scientific community and is published annually.
Departamento de Ciencias y Técnicas Historiográficas
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Council Epigraphy in Early Modern Murcia (1575-1619): edition and paleographic study
During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the municipal council of Murcia engaged in epigraphic activity to mark and enhance the urban landscape. This study presents an edition of seven inscriptions that had not been previously analyzed through an epigraphic methodology, aiming to document their content and function. These inscriptions served as tools for political authority, reinforcing the council’s role as a benefactor in urban development. In addition to the textual edition, this work includes a paleographic study to analyze the graphical characteristics of advertising writing in this period, an aspect largely unexplored in epigraphy. The inscriptions show a coexistence of various writing styles, reflecting the persistence of multigraphism in the early modern period. Finally, the study examines the communicative strategies behind these inscriptions and their role in shaping public spaces. By placing texts in privileged urban locations, the council ensured visibility and legitimacy. This research offers a critical reflection on the use of advertising writing as a mechanism of power and urban identity in early modern Murcia.
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The material aspects of christian funerary inscriptions in the conventus Cordubensis
This article examines a number of material aspects of early Christian epigraphy in the former Conventus Cordubensis. It begins by analyzing the development of the epigraphy of this te-rritory during the Roman period, addressing the historical and social factors that account for the decline in epigraphic production between the fourth and sixth centuries, as well as the slight resur-gence attested in the seventh century. It then focuses on stone supports, considering both their lithological characteristics and their morphological typology. Finally, the study addresses decorative elements, distinguishing between purely ornamental motifs and those directly associated with early Christian symbolism.
Study of lead bullae from the empire of Brazil associated with a castaway camp in North Patagonia, Argentina: archaeological nd sigillographic implications
In 2021, a coastal site was located in the southern part of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Its study allowed its identification as a castaway camp, most likely established in October 1827, during the Cisplatine War (1825-1828). Among the remains that support this interpretation, two lead bullae that show the coat of arms of the Empire of Brazil stand out. In this article, we offer the identification and description of these finds—which show no parallels with other sites of the region—and discuss their implications for assessing the archaeological site and their role in the original context. The reported artefacts are significant not only at an archaeological level, given their value for dating and assessing the affiliation of an occupation, but also for the sigillographic studies of the Empire of Brazil.
The Norman-Swabian state “in hac civitate Neapolis”: sovereign, institutions, mint and coins
After having attributed the coins introduced by Roger II's reform (1140) to the mint of Naples and after having proposed a classification of the coins produced in this mint during the reign of Frederick II in some recent studies, it seemed appropriate to contextualise the elusive ins-titutional role of Naples between the 12th and 13th centuries, since local monetary production could not ignore a prominent role within the Kingdom of Sicily. This study, which begins by commenting on the current state of the art regarding Norman and Swabian coinage and denouncing its total in-consistency, then develops through a bibliographical reconstruction, which takes into account nu-merous recently identified sources, as well as through the critical analysis of the structural ele-ments of two diplomas relating to the period under examination. The examination of the materials fully certifies the institutional presence of the Norman-Swabian state in the city of Naples, almost ignored, like the coinage, by the reference bibliography. In particular, the study focuses on the evo-lution between the time of Roger II, when the city was already pre-eminent over the others on the continental part (1130), and the time of Frederick II, when the city had already risen to the status of capital and seat of all possible institutions, illustrating at the same time the authenticity of the sour-ces transcribed in the appendix, which have given us the original archival signature of the Great Archive of Naples, hitherto unknown to the collations of Norman and Swabian diplomas. From them we deduce the presence of the treasury and the chancellery in Naples, institutions that represent the two main terms of connection between the exercise of the sovereign's power and local mone-tary production, as well as fundamental data for the period. From the former in particular, albeit exegetically, we deduce the production of tarì, which are expressed in marabottini, gold coins not yet documented for Naples in the Norman era. Finally, two tables, one for each period, analytically summarize the presence of sovereigns, institutions, the mint and coins.
The personal archive of Fernando José de Velasco: intellectual and professional interests of an 18th-century magistrate
In this paper it is reconstructed the personal archive of Fernando José de Velasco (1766-1788), an 18th-century magistrate who has a successful professional career and was actively involved in enlightened circles. The main objectives are gathering and organizing Velasco's preserved documentation –which is now dispersed and decontextualized– and thinking about the reasons of archive's creation based on the image that the magistrate wished to project of himself. To this end, it has considered the heterogeneity and diverse typologies and formats of personal archives; the magistrate's distinct facets and activities; and his interests and needs as the producer. In conclusion, it should be pointed out the importance of intellectual and professional activities in Velasco's archive. This image coincides with his profile as an enlightened minister, in which his erudite and bibliophile facet represents his socio-professional recognition.
Names, types and uses of the masṭara in the kingdom of Castile since the 13th century
Research into Spanish manuscript and printed sources from the Middle Ages, Early Modern, and Modern Ages on the names, uses, and characteristics of the instrument known in codicology as masṭara, which result explain that is observed in medieval codices. This paper also presents three medieval Castilian manuscripts, copied between the 13th and 15th centuries, which provide diverse evidences of the use of this tool of Arabic origin. The masṭara or "pauta" was used in two different ways, as it’s described in the sources and we can verified in practice: to ruling with lead on parchment and paper, or to imprint the layout on paper. The three codices were maked in Toledo, Guadalupe, and Cuenca. Conversely, their analysis demonstrates that the technical knowledge described in the Early Modern Age came from the medieval Spanish tradition.
Two epigraphs painted in the church of Santo Adriano de Tuñón (Asturias)
The church of Santo Adriano de Tuñón, in the municipality of Santo Adriano (Asturias, Spain), was founded and endowed in 891 by the monarchs Alfonso III and Jimena, and was renovated around 1108, during the pontificate of bishop Pelayo of Oviedo. Two texts commemorating the dedi-cation of the church in that year and listing the relics deposited in the main altar have been preser-ved. One is engraved on stone, and the other, badly deteriorated, was painted on the intrados of an arch and has been considered a 17th- or 19th-century summary of the engraved, although it was transcribed by a 16th-century scholar. Furthermore, some fragments of words, punctuation and abbreviation marks suggest that its content coincided with that of the stone inscription, and paleo-graphic and linguistic analysis concludes that it must be dated to the time of the church's renovation: it includes spelling characteristic of early medieval Latin and was painted in a mixed script of Visigo-thic and Carolingian.
The private life of the Divino Fernando de Herrera: family, estate and a change of name
The purpose of this article is to provide a documentary reassessment of Fernando de Herrera (1534-1597) through a systematic analysis of the parish records of San Andrés and the nota-rial protocols preserved in the Provincial Historical Archive of Seville, addressing in particular the problems of identification arising from homonymy and onomastic variation. This research makes it possible to clarify Herrera’s status as a presbyter and holder of a servidero benefice inherited from his uncle Juan Suárez, as well as to contextualize the role played by his brother Alonso de Herrera in the effective administration of the liturgical obligations attached to the benefice. The documentation further reveals the alternating use of the names Fernando de Herrera and Hernán López in specific notarial contexts, compelling a reconsideration of archival attribution criteria and suggesting a fun-ctional segmentation of identity between the literary sphere and the economic management of ec-clesiastical revenues. Finally, the analysis of leases associated with the body of parish beneficiaries allows for the reconstruction of the material basis of his activity and reinforces the image of a Herrera who deliberately prioritized his literary career over ecclesiastical advancement.
Rome’s other coinage. Contemporary counterfeit denarii
Counterfeiting has been an intrinsic feature of ancient economic systems, and the Roman denarius offers one of the most illustrative cases of this phenomenon. Once the denarius became firmly established as the principal silver coin of the Roman Republic and, subsequently, of the Empire, its imitation and fraudulent reproduction persisted as a recurrent historical practice. This study examines counterfeit Roman denarii produced in antiquity as a structural element of the Roman monetary system, considering both their economic implications and their significance as material culture. The article explores the technical, typological, and contextual traits of plated denarii (subaerati) and analyses the historical circumstances that encouraged their manufacture and circulation. Through a combined historiographical and numismatic approach, it draws a clear distinction between ancient counterfeits that formed part of the original monetary circulation and modern forgeries, emphasizing the historical value of the former as direct evidence of the economic, political, and administrative pressures that shaped the Roman world. It also reflects on the current assessment of these pieces within numismatic collecting and their gradual reappraisal as historical documents rather than mere examples of monetary fraud. From this perspective, counterfeit denarii produced in antiquity constitute a key source for understanding the limits of state control over coinage and the broader complexity of the Roman economic system.
The form of lease and rental contracts in Toledo during the rise of the notary public (1280-1350)
The public notary in Castile appeared during the second half of the 13th century, thanks to the legislative project of Alfonso X and the influence of Roman law from Italy. Along with its establishment, there was also a renewal of the forms used in notarial documents, which were included in Alfonso's regulations and began to spread throughout the Crown. However, it seems that they were not accepted and assimilated by Castilian-Leonese public notaries until they acquired legal value in the Order of Alcalá de Henares of 1348. Among the types of notarial documents were those related to the transfer and exploitation of land, such as leases or rentals, a very common type of document, but one that has received little attention from specialists on Diplomatics in the late Middle Ages. This work focuses on the lease agreements and rental contracts suscribed by notaries public in the city of Toledo between 1280 and 1350, through the analysis of these sources using digital tools and the comparison between their forms and those collected in Tercera Partida, a corpus by the scriptorium of Alfonso X that began to be disseminated at the end of his reign. The main objective of this research is to observe what forms were used by Toledo's public scribes and what similarities and differences existed with Partidas.
New findings on the issuance and use of fractional paper money in Puerto Rico (19th century)
The island of Puerto Rico is considered to be the first Spanish jurisdiction in the New World to issue provisional paper money, as early as 1766. The continuous interruptions in the remit-tances from the “Situado Mejicano” assigned to the island led the local authorities to resort to such emergency issuances on multiple occasions. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, with the definitive cessation of the “situados” after Mexican independence, the issuance of provisional “pa-peletas” reached the figure of 500.000 pesos, in different denominations. Although recent research has documented the issuance of provisional notes in fractional denominations towards the end of the eighteenth century, to date the design and iconographic characteristics of the fractional notes of one and half real of the issues of 1813 and 1814 were unknown. This study presents and analyzes unpublished official documentation that includes, for the first time, graphic evidence of the design of these fractional paper money. These findings also confirm the authenticity of “papeletas” of two reales from 1814, which since 1934 were considered false and now it is verified that they coincide with the official design circulated in the order of Governor Salvador Meléndez Bruna, documented here for the first time.
A look at the History of written Culture: wax tablets of love and feminine writing in Ovid’s Art of love and Lovest
Literature, within the context of the classical Roman world, is proposed as a field of study for constructing the history of written culture, and in particular, of women's written culture. The aim is to help uncover the places, gestures, and practices that accompanied the reading and writing processes during the production of Ovid's work, focusing the analysis on two of his main works, The Art of Love and Loves. This is accompanied by a detailed account of the methodology used in the study and its links to the social diversity of the historical period, considering literature as a product of the society that generated it or the one it attempts to recreate.
Rinaldo Ricasoli: a Florentine merchant in Flanders upon an unpublished document of the city of Bruges
Abstract: The work presented here, starting from the study of an unpublished document preser-ved by the Ricasoli family, addresses aspects related to an event that took place within the context of the dense economic, social, and political network that in the 15th century saw the prominent Flo-rentine family of the Ricasoli, along with many others, play a key role. The Ricasoli family represented one of the commercial dynasties with strong economic ties to Flanders and the Netherlands. In the 15th century, Florentine merchants, representatives of wealthy families, with great foresight and an entrepreneurial strategy, opened branches and representative offices, especially in Bruges, which at the time was a crucial hub for economic exchanges between Italy and the rest of Europe. These entrepreneurs, involved in various types of exchanges, including textiles and luxury goods, had begun to create financial companies as early as the 14th century, which allowed them to transfer money securely and quickly between cities and also enabled them to grant substantial loans to fo-reign Royal families, placing Florentine merchant-bankers at the center of the European economic fabric. The document, written in Old French, was drafted in Bruges on May 27, 1490, and consists of the transcription of a previous act drawn up in Delft and dated February 2, 1488, which records a series of loans made to Maximilian of Austria by Rinaldo Ricasoli. This testimony is part of the story that, in the second half of the 15th century, led to the partition of the territories within the Duchy of Burgundy, within the context of the conflict between Maximilian of Austria, the regent on behalf of his son Philip, and King Charles VIII of France. To finance military operations against the rebels, Maximilian had relied on loans from Florentine bankers operating in Flanders. Among these, in particular, Rinaldo Ricasoli was probably in Bruges as a representative of the Tuscan economic and merchant society Cambi Da Rabatta.
Dedications and signatures on Benito Vera’s bindings in the Rodríguez-Moñino collection of the Royal Spanish Academy
Antonio Rodríguez-Moñino (1910–1970) was a prominent twentieth-century bibliophile. His legacy includes 255 bindings executed by Benito Vera Vigo (1923–2009), dating from the years 1965, 1966, and 1969, in which 38 former provenances have been identified. From these, 32 dedica-tions have been selected, arranged according to the classification proposed by Professor Manuel José Pedraza and distributed into four groups: the first comprises copies bearing only a signature; the second includes dedications from the author of the work to Moñino; the third consists of dedica-tions addressed to Moñino by individuals not involved in the authorship of the works; and, finally, the fourth group encompasses dedications by third parties with no connection to the bibliophile. This analysis has made it possible to identify a circle of individuals who maintained close personal relationships with Moñino, including writers, historians, and other figures.
Listado de evaluadores para la revista complutense Documenta & Instrumenta durante los años 2025 y 2026
Paul Bertrand: Forger le faux. Les usages de l’écrit au Moyan Age. París, Seuil, 2025. 520 pp.
Leonor Zozaya Montes (ed.): Los archivos y documentos de la Edad Media a la Contemporánea en Europa y América. Estudios de caso. Gijón, Trea, 2024. 364 pp.
María de la Almudena Serrano Mota: Archivo Histórico de Cuenca. Mil años de Historia: castillo, Inquisición, cuartel y cárcel. Madrid, Real Academia de Heráldica y Genealogía, 2024. 264 pp.
César Quijano Martínez: La evolución del formulario de la compraventa en los documentos notariales de la Corona de Castilla. León, Universidad de León, 2025. 126 pp.
María Belén González Gonzalo: Los signos de validación en los privilegios de Alfonso VIII en el Archivo Histórico de la Catedral de Burgos (1159-1204) y en el Archivo Histórico de la Catedral de Palencia (1162-1208). Madrid, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, 2025. 190 pp.
Juan Carlos Galende Díaz (dir.) y Nicolás Ávila Seoane (coord.): Memoria escrita de Ultramar en la villa y corte. Fondos documentales madrileños relativos a Hispanoamérica. Madrid, Asociación de Amigos del Archivo Histórico Nacional y Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2024. 389 pp.
Marcos Fernández Gómez (coord.): Alfonso X y Sevilla. Sevilla, Instituto de la Cultura y las Artes (ICAS) del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, 2025. 279 pp.
Sarah Jane Charles Cahier: The Medieval scriptorium. Making books in the Middle Ages. Londres, Reaktion Books, 2024. 352 pp.
Gregoria Cavero Domínguez y María Encarnación Martín López (coords.): Tumbo de San Pedro de Montes: un cartulario doble. Burgos, Instituto de la Lengua Castellano-Leonesa y Real Academia Española, 2025. 1527 pp.
Alicia Marchant Rivera (coord.): La cultura como generadora de sociedades inclusivas. Mujer, escritura y religión en el contexto de los estudios de género. Madrid, Dykinson, 2025. 246 pp.
Manuel Mozo Monroy: Enciclopedia de la moneda medieval gótica en los reinos de León y Castilla (siglos XIV-XV). Madrid, Manuel Mozo Monroy, 2025. 5 vols.
Brief study of the Roman Republican series RRC 439, signed by the monetary magistrate Marcellinus, shortly before the outbreak of the Second Roman Civil War (48-45 BC). Study of its iconography
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The archive of the Intendency of the New Settlements of Sierra Morena and Andalusia after the suppression of its statutory regime (1835-1919)
The agrarian colonization of Sierra Morena and Andalusia’s New Settlements was a cornerstone of Charles III’s reign and the Spanish Enlightenment. However, a substantial portion of the central archives for this new jurisdiction has vanished, leaving researchers to piece together the past using state archives. This loss has obscured the nature of the original archives, the events that shaped them, and the circumstances of their destruction. This study examines the fate of the Intendency of New Settlements’ archive, confiscated in 1835 following the suppression of its statutory regime and relocated to Jaén in 1839. There, it remained for decades until a devastating fire consumed the Treasury Delegation of Jaén in January 1919, almost entirely obliterating the archive.