An Indiana Jones moment: Denison professor finds a medieval treasure
Fully intact medieval manuscripts are rare possessions for small colleges.
So when English Professor Fred Porcheddu-Engel ’87 discovered a 563-year-old manuscript detailing a medicinal road map for outliving an apocalypse stored in the Special Collections section of Denison’s Doane Library, he could not believe the good fortune bequeathed to his alma mater.
Following nearly two decades of research, Porcheddu-Engel is planning to complete a website meant to promote discussion of medieval topics, including translations of the manuscript and a video of Denison chemistry professors and students conducting experiments to test the assertions and remedies of 14th-century French alchemist John of Rupescissa.
The manuscript was a literary gift given to Denison in 2003 by Elizabeth D. Sturges ’54. Read more about how students are joining Procheddu-Engel to examine this rare manuscript from every angle.
