It includes the critical edition of the trial papers, thanks to a meticulous and painstaking sifting of the original documents attained through the use of the “Wood lamp”, effective toward the recovery of text parts unavailable to previous publishers. A scientific work which surpasses the previous edition released by Schottmüller back in 1887, and includes documents of recent find. Further to the record and transcription of papers and parchment documents, a section focuses on the review of the Templar history and on the trial against them.
Foreword by S. E. Mons. Sergio Pagano, prefetto (legal officer) of the Vatican Secret Archives.
Critical Edition by Marco Maiorino and Pier Paolo Piergentili, supervisors of the Vatican Secret Archives.
Historical facts on the trial by Barbara Frale, supervisor of the Vatican Secret Archives.
Research and investigation on the seals by Luca Becchetti, supervisor and restorer of the seals of the Vatican Secret Archives.
The volume, elegantly bound in parchment with golden writings on its front and back, measures 29X45 (cm), comes in 256 entirely hand-sewn pages, and can be regarded among high quality art publications.
Text parts are printed on pure cotton paper from the “Armatruda” papermakers in Amalfi, Italy. This special paper (160 gr/sq.mt) is manufactured through ancient procedures, thanks to a particular grain employed only for the Vatican Secret Archives special editions; the book outlines are hand-finished.
Along with the written section, and aside from the drawings, the edition includes, appropriately appended, three replicas of previously unreleased engravings by Domenico Marchetti, taken from a sketch by Tommaso De Vivo, and realized on clear outline, “water-cut” sheets (taglio a filo d’acqua), thanks to refined graphic technique.
The SEAL
After 700 years here comes the light
The red wax seals belonging to the inquiring cardinals Pietro Colonna, Pierre de La Chapel and Berenger Frèdol look identical to the originals in their richest and characteristic iconography; the seals are made from moulds kept at the Vatican Archive, through an accurate sequence of manual crafts, and the delicate coating phase, which dramatically ages each single seal of 700 years.
AUTHENTICITY CERTIFICATION
The official warranty document is endorsed and signed in person by the Legal Officer pro tempore of the Vatican Secret Archive, who certifies the authenticity of each individual item of the Exemplaria Praetiosa, the limited run of the publication, the filing number, and the faithful, accurate compliance to the original documents.
THE EXTERNAL CASE AND THE DOCUMENTS’ BOX.
Classiness and unmatched quality
The natural-leather case, “Tuscan-style” (Toscano pieno fiore), craftily assembled thanks to a procedure known as “concia vegetale”, is hand-finished and measures 47X33X12.5 (cm). The case is made from a unique streak of leather, which wraps either the documents’ box and the commentary volume.
It is assembled through ancient manual crafts; the leather on the back is engraved with a motif which dates back to the 12th century and recalls the Templar cross, suggesting the elegant finishing of the two sheltered items.
The style of the documents’ box recalls the stiff bindings in use at archives for many centuries. Wrapped in a single goat-leather parchment, treated upon ancient crafts, it is an exact replica of the chests used to store documents at the Vatican Secret Archives across the centuries. The documents’ box is entirely handmade; all details are reproduced with the same refinement as the originals.
All materials have been selected based on their durability, and have been crafted according to ancient skills: this allows them to appear as if they would shift colours, nuances, and shades as time flows by.
