Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org Medieval folding almanac (15th century).

Medieval folding almanac in Latin. 5 inches by 1 ½ inches. Contains a calendar and astrological tables and diagrams, including lunar and solar eclipses. There are seven leaves, each folding three times, which contain text diagrams and images in brown, red and blue ink with burnished gold. There is one substantial miniature of the Zodiac man, with lunar and solar tables and computational charts on the same leaf. The binding is embroidered green and pink silk.

Almanacs such as these were hung from the belt to provide portable reference charts for physicians, with calendrical, astrological and computational material and were unfolded like a modern day road map. However, such is the finely detailed and ornate nature of this almanac, with its richly illuminated Zodiac man, intricately embroidered pink and green textile binding and gold detailing, it is unlikely to have seen practical use, and was more probably a treasured and valuable artefact in its own right, either held as a status object by a physician, or object of prestige by someone interested in the delicate art of miniaturisation. c. 1415-1420 MS. 8932 English folding almanac in Latin Published: -