Background
Codices Fennici –Finnish medieval and 16th century manuscripts
The Codices Fennici project was started in 2013. The goal was to chart, describe and digitize all manuscripts written or related to Finland before 1600. Codices Fennici has described and digitized over 200 such manuscripts or manuscript fragments, most of which are housed mainly in Finnish and Swedish archives and libraries. The manuscripts include administrative, juridical, liturgical, historical and theological texts. Materials related to the central government – most noticeable being the series of bailiffs' accounts related to Finland – are not included.
The digitized manuscript pictures are published together with their descriptions. The aim has been to provide users with scholarly manuscripts descriptions. The descriptions are in English. They include sections on the manuscript's contents, codicology, and history. The descriptions have been marked with XML, and made downloadable for the users.
Codices Fennici project's digital catalogue will supplement other databases concerning written sources of medieval Finland: Diplomatarium Fennicum database contains editions of medieval documents related to Finland. Fragmenta membranea is a database of medieval parchment fragments reused as wrappers for account books in the 16th and 17th centuries. The collection is kept in the National Library of Finland.
Contributors
Finnish Literature Society (SKS) is responsible for the upkeep and coordination of the project. Codices Fennici is supervised by an advisory board that includes: Docent Tuomas Heikkilä, PhD Meri Heinonen, Professor Kaisa Häkkinen, Docent Anu Lahtinen, PhD Jesse Keskiaho, Docent Marko Lamberg, Professor emeritus Erkki Tuppurainen, and Docent, Secretary General Tuomas M. S. Lehtonen.
The scholarly manuscript descriptions are by: Jesse Keskiaho, Ville Walta, Seppo Eskola, and Maria Kallio.
The digital library includes manuscripts from different archives and libraries: The National Library of Finland (Helsinki), The National Archives of Finland (Helsinki), The National Museum of Finland (Helsinki), The Archives of the Finnish Literature Society (Helsinki), Borgå Gymnasium's Library (Porvoo), Provincial Archives (Hämeenlinna), Kuopio City Library, Maalahti Church Archives, Naantali Church Archives, Provincial Archives (Turku), Turku Museum Centre, The Library of Åbo akademy (Turku), Provincial Archives (Vaasa), Vöyri Church Archives, National Library of Sweden (Stockholm), Swedish National Archives (Stockholm), Uppsala University Library, Finnish Church (Stockholm), Stiftsbibliotek (Linköping), Stifts- och landsbibliotek (Skara), City Archives (Tallinna), and Royal Library (Copenhagen).
Technical and graphic design by Flo Apps Oy.
The Codices Fennici project is housed at the Finnish Literature Society (SKS). It has been funded by the Kone Foundation, Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, and Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.