Digital Profiling as a Method of Early Medieval Diplomatics. According to a Document of Otto I from St. Petersburg

Abstract

On the basis of a number of external and internal criteria, a document of Otto I kept in St. Petersburg is analysed and assigned to one of 39 scribes of the imperial chancellery known by name. The basis of the identification is the signa as well as the size, format, folds, layout and font of the imperial diploma. But it is also about the linguistic colouring of proper and place names as well as the formulas of corroboratio. The digital profiling method used for this purpose is then tested for its suitability for writer identification on the basis of comparative examples. Findings from Italian, Russian and German research are helpful.