Copies of the Jerusalem Typikon of the 17th century: dating, scribers, localization and usage (the case study of the Institute of Manuscript of Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine)

The detailed scientific attribution of twelve Cyrillic 17th-century hand-written copies of Jerusalem Typikon from Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine is conducted. The examination of research history of these manuscripts has actualized several unsolved problems. The detailed watermark investigation of manuscripts’ paper has allowed to figure out the possible date of its creation. The dates of fi nishing the handwritings, mentioned in the four copies, are proven by watermark study data. The chronology of the investigated Jerusalem Typika embrace the fi rst third if the 17th century. The scrupulous research of the manuscripts has allowed to fi gure out the certain regions they were created in, even the exact places in some cases. The 17th-century Cyrillic copies of Jerusalem Ecclesiastic Typikon from the Institute of Manuscript are represented by various regions of Ukraine and Russia. The local differences of these artifacts are helpful in understanding the variability of production and design of manuscripts. With the reference to manuscripts’ colophons some names of the Ecclesiastic Typika’s scribes are revealed, as well as their places of origin, social state and profession. The information, which marginal inscriptions (provenances) contain, has helped to reconstruct the use of the manuscripts, define the motivation of their purchase or donation to certain churches and their prices at the moment of purchase. The existing old library codes, stamps, exlibrises or stickers on the codices has become the source of migration routes data of the 17th-century copies of Jerusalem Ecclesiastic Typikon until the very moment of their arrival to the Institute of Manuscript of Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine. The fulfi llment of the tasks assigned, as well as the usage of various research methods, contributes to the ascertainment of the scribes’ names, places and dates of creation and use of the manuscripts.