In brief
Two British historians unexpectedly confirmed that a long-neglected manuscript at Harvard Law School, thought to be a copy of the historic Magna Carta, is actually an original dating back to 1300.
Harvard University has made headlines after a seemingly inconspicuous manuscript, long considered just a copy of the Magna Carta, was determined to actually be one of seven remaining original versions from the year 1300. Acquired for $27.50 in the aftermath of World War II, the document had attracted minimal interest since being stored in the university's library in 1946. The accidental discovery was made by David Carpenter, a medieval history scholar from King’s College London, in December 2023. “I never in all my life expected to discover a Magna Carta,” Carpenter reflected on his unexpected find. Its exact value remains elusive, yet it stands as a remarkable bargain, given that a similar document fetched $21.3 million in a 2007 auction.To verify the authenticity of the manuscript, researchers conducted a series of detailed examinations, including ultraviolet light and spectral imaging techniques, revealing aspects not visible to the naked eye. This revelation comes at a significant moment for Harvard, which finds itself in heightened scrutiny under the current administration. Nicholas Vincent, a medieval history expert at the University of East Anglia, has been instrumental in confirming the document’s historical significance, which emphasizes the rule of law and the responsibilities of governance.
