Reuse of manuscripts

The history of books in Norway is closely linked to the Christianization of the country. The churches needed liturgical books, i.e. literature used in worship services. Most religious literature in the Middle Ages was written in Latin. After the Reformation in 1536, when Catholic doctrine and the use of Latin in church were abandoned, most of these books could no longer be used—at least for what they were originally intended.

However, the parchment on which they were written continued to be an important resource. The pages were often cut up and used as covers or spine reinforcements for administrative protocols and accounting books, among others. In some cases, entire leaves were reused to write charters or other documents. A manuscript in which older text has been deleted and replaced by new is called a palimpsest in technical terms. Because parchment was a durable, flexible, and partially transparent material, it could also be recycled for various everyday uses. This helps explain why only a few complete medieval religious books have been preserved in Norway.

Law manuscripts were also cut up and reused. However, copies of the Laws of the Land had better chances of survival because the Laws of the Land were continuously in use until 1687. Many charters also disappeared due to reuse. It was mainly those that documented ownership and rights that were important to preserve.