University of Edinburgh Library -- Legacy shelfmark sequence: Da-Dp
Subject
Subject Source: Local sources
Scope Note: This shelfmark (or press mark) sequence originated within the Strong Room Library in 'Old College', likely beginning around 1909 (the first Strong Room having been constructed 1905-1909). Each two-letter prefix referred to a block of shelving, which roughly mapped to a category or grouping of items. The first number then referred to the shelf and the final number to the item itself. As collections expanded and were moved, this precise correlation broke down but most of the items retained their shelfmarks.
Da
University Archives. Originally upper floor, north wall of the Strong Room. This later evolved into a crude classification scheme before being abandoned in favour of regular archival arrangement. Items bearing these legacy shelfmarks can still be identified, particularly early Library records which occupied Da.1 and Da.2.
Db
Originally used for mediaeval manuscripts. In the early 20th century, pre-Reformation manuscripts from across the library were brought together to form the Western Medieval Manuscripts collection, under the shelfmark "MS".
Dc
Manuscripts. Mostly bound. Originally on upper floor, front of the Strong Room. This part of the sequence is largely intact, with these shelfmarks now being retained as identifiers of physical location. The items themselves have all been given regular archival reference codes.
Dd
Printed, including Clement Litill. Originally on upper floor, front, south wall of Strong Room.
De
Printed, including the Drummond of Hawthornden collection (largely printed but with some manuscript enclosures from the latter). Originally on the upper floor, back, west wall of the Strong Room. This part of the sequence is intact.
Df
Printed. Originally on the upper floor, back, east wall of the Strong Room. This part of the sequence is intact.
Dh
Printed, including Lutheran tracts. Originally on the upper floor, back of the Strong Room. This part of the sequence is intact.
Dk
Manuscript. Originally in the centre case of the Strong Room, opposite Dh. This part of the sequence is largely intact, with these shelfmarks now being retained as identifiers of physical location. The items themselves have all been given regular archival reference codes.
Dm
Music. Originally in the centre cases of the Strong Room.
Dn
Bindings. Originally in the centre cases of the Strong Room.
Found in 334 Collections and/or Records:
Fasciculus Morum, a handbook for preachers by an unknown author, 15th century
Item
Identifier: MS 82
Contents
The Fasciculus Morum is a handbook for preachers written by an unknown Franciscan friar in the 14th century. This copy was done in the 15th century. An inscription in a 17th century hand, Fasciculus Morum per fratrem Thomam Acclom Carmelitam, tells us that Thomas Acclom of the Carmelite Order was either the scribe of this manuscript or the supposed author of the book.Contents...
Dates:
15th century
Five letters from David Hume
Fonds — Box Dk.6.27
Identifier: Coll-2213
Scope and Contents
Five letters from David Hume (1711-1776).
To the Rev. John Jardine, 1758.
To President Charles Jean Francois Henault, 25 June 1765.
To John Home of Kilduff, 16 July 1776, not signed.
To the same, 23 July 1776, not signed, with a note by Home.
Also a letter to Hume from Admiral Thomas Smith, 21 October 1755.
...
Dates:
1758-1776
General Assembly Register of Actings and Proceedings of the Church of Scotland
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-2283
Scope and Contents
Church of Scotland. General Assembly Register of actings and proceedings, 1690, 1692, 1702-36, 1741-74. 17 volumes.
Dates:
1690-1774
Geoponica, including excerpts of De re rustica by Cassianus Bassus, ? late 16th century
Item
Identifier: MS 230
Contents
This manuscript contains the Geoponica, a twenty-book compilation including texts on various agricultural subjects, chiefly drawing on the writings of Cassianus Bassus (6th-7th c.), who himself used the work of an earlier Greek author, Vindonius Anatolius (4th c., also known as Anatolius of Berytus). The Geoponica was written by an unknown writer in the 10th century at the behest of the Emperor Constantine VII...
Dates:
? late 16th century
Grammar of the Foolah language by Robert Maxwell MacBrair
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-785
Scope and Contents
Autograph manuscript of MacBrair's 'sketch' of the grammar of the Foolah (or Foulah) language spoken by the pastoral Foulahs (or Fulani), the Teucorlars (or Tukulors) and the Laubies of the interior of Western Africa, bound together.
Dates:
1836-1843
Heures a Lusaige de Rome (printed), and manuscript prayers, c 1505
Item
Identifier: MS 209
Scope and Contents
This is a book of hours printed on vellum, which contains eight folios with manuscript prayers at the beginning and at the end (four leaves at the beginning, and four leaves at the end). Includes 17 full-page metalcuts (hand-coloured). Due to the fact that it is mostly a printed book, it is also known under the shelfmark 'Dd.7.107', and has been catalogued on Discovered: click here to see...
Dates:
c 1505
Historia destructionis Troiae, by Guido delle Colonne, 15th century
Item
Identifier: MS 188
Contents
Historia destructionis Troiae is an account of Troy and its destruction in the Trojan War, written in Latin verse. It was originally composed in the 13th century by Sicilian author, Guido delle Colonne. Guido claimed to have written the piece in just 71 days.The poem begins on f. 1r with the Prologue. The first line reads: Ut si cotidie vetera recentibus obruant...The Prologue ends on f. 1v, with ...
Dates:
15th century
Historia Scholastica by Petrus Comestor , 13th century
Item
Identifier: MS 17
Scope and Contents
The manuscript contains the Historia Scholastica, an abridged version of the Bible written around 1170 by Petrus Comestor for the students of the cathedral school of Paris. The text consists in the retelling of stories (hence the name historia) taken from the Bible and in their explanation. It became an essential part of the curriculum of the theological school and greatly influenced popular Bibles produced in the 13th and...
Dates:
13th century
Historia Scholastica by Petrus Comestor , 13h century
Item
Identifier: MS 18
Scope and Contents
The manuscript contains the Historia Scholastica, an abridged version of the Bible written around 1170 by Petrus Comestor for the students of the cathedral school of Paris. The text consists in the retelling of stories (hence the name historia) taken from the Bible and in their explanation. It became an essential part of the curriculum of the theological school and greatly influenced popular Bibles produced in the 13th and...
Dates:
13h century
Historiae Ecclesiasticae Tripartitae Epitome [incomplete], by Epiphanius Scholasticus, 12th century
Item
Identifier: MS 178
Contents
MS 178 contains a copy of a 6th-century Church history by Epiphanius Scholasticus. The work takes the form of twelve books, and became the primary clerical manual for Church history in the medieval west for centuries. The 12-part book is often presented in early print publications/manuscript copies as the work of Cassiodorus. However, it was originally a work of Latin translations of the histories of Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret produced by Cassiodorus's friend and colleague at the...
Dates:
12th century