Diplomatics: New Uses for an Old Science (original) (raw)

Diplomatics is the study of the Wesen [being] and Werden [becoming] of documentation, the analysis of genesis, inner constitution and transmission of documents, and of their relationship with the facts represented in them and with their creators. Thus, it has for the archivist, beyond an unquestionable practical and technical value, a fundamental formative value, and constitutes a vital prelude to his specific discipline, archival science. 1 This is the first of a series of six articles which examines diplomatic doctrine from the point of view of the contemporary archivist. The whole work is directed to those who have little familiarity with diplomatics, and is meant to give them the basis for a fruitful consultation of specialized literature. However, it is also directed to those who have known diplomatics in the context of medieval studies and appreciate its potential for the identification, evaluation, control, and communication of archival documents.