Unlocking History is the name for a group of conservators, paleographers, literary scholars, historians, publishers, book-artists, imaging experts, engineers, and scientists who are interested in the historical practice of letterlocking. Letterlocking was “an early form of communication security.”
I read about this a few years ago and was fascinated. It’s the exact kind of thing that tickles my romanticism bone and makes the past seem way cooler than it actually was.
Under COVID I have spent a lot of time reading Russian history because, TBH I have sensed this was coming. W/o this reading I might have fallen for what is going on now and I see how easy it is to vilify because most of us know so little.
It certainly was an intricate skill. Those writers had a keen spatial sense.
The link below shows the diagram of the folding of a letter. and the way it looked when open. It wasn't an eye-catching image so I didn't use it in the post, but thank you for asking.
Yeah I saw this in your footnotes. My spatial skills suck so I couldn't quite get it. It just paints this heartbreaking picture of her carefully locking it probably know it was her last.
I wanted to include the Brienne Collection. in this post but it seemed like too much. I think I will tomorrow. http://brienne.org/
Wouldn't it have been fun to send notes and letters this way? I wish I had learned about this when I was in high school. So much better than texting.
THIS. Is so cool.
This is fascinating!
cool! reminds me of passing notes in high school
T does. I wonder if kids still do this?
We did it in the very recent past when I was in high school in the late 1950s. I mean, that's recent, isn't it? Sure seems like it.
i wd guess the smartphone killed them off or maybe tattoos? ;))
I read about this a few years ago and was fascinated. It’s the exact kind of thing that tickles my romanticism bone and makes the past seem way cooler than it actually was.
and (swoon) sealing wax.
And -- another interesting book ;-))
The Plot to Scapegoat Russia: How the CIA and the Deep State Have Conspired to Vilify Putin
by Dan Kovalik Esq., Alex Hyde-White, et al
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Dan+Kovalik&i=stripbooks&crid=34T6C61H3BSVM&sprefix=dan+kovalik+%2Cstripbooks%2C114&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Under COVID I have spent a lot of time reading Russian history because, TBH I have sensed this was coming. W/o this reading I might have fallen for what is going on now and I see how easy it is to vilify because most of us know so little.
Thank you very much.
A MUST SEE:
Tucker Carlson Today – interview with Dan Kovalik: “Russia, Russia, Russia” (Feb. 4, 2022)
This and Tucker-Tonight should be available on Rumble and elsewhere
So interesting! Does Mary's letter still exists? Is there a photograph?
It certainly was an intricate skill. Those writers had a keen spatial sense.
The link below shows the diagram of the folding of a letter. and the way it looked when open. It wasn't an eye-catching image so I didn't use it in the post, but thank you for asking.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/12/mary-queen-of-scots-sealed-her-final-missive-with-an-intricate-spiral-letterlock/
Yeah I saw this in your footnotes. My spatial skills suck so I couldn't quite get it. It just paints this heartbreaking picture of her carefully locking it probably know it was her last.
I know! Just thinking of that made me so sad.