Diplomàtiques

Diplomàtiques, in the sense of diplomatics, is the scholarly discipline that analyzes documentary sources—such as charters, privileges, and official acts—to establish their authenticity, provenance, dating, and legal or administrative significance. It concentrates on the form, structure, and material features of documents produced by authorities, churches, towns, and rulers, as well as the customary formulas and procedures they embody.

The field originated in early modern Europe, with Jean Mabillon’s De re diplomatica (1681) widely credited as a foundational work. Mabillon and later scholars developed criteria for distinguishing genuine documents from forgeries, based on typologies, documentary habits, and the institutional context in which documents were produced. Over time diplomatics broadened from manuscript criticism into a systematic method used by historians and archivists to understand the functioning of medieval and early modern administrations.

Core methods include analyzing external features (ink, parchment or paper, seals, watermarks) and internal elements (opening and closing formulas, witness lists, dating clauses), handwriting and script, and the document’s layout and chronology. Assessing the chain of custody, jurisdictional authority, and the relationship between the document and its recipients are also important. Diplomatics often involves typifying documents and establishing dating or provenance through cross-checks with other sources.

Today, diplomatics is distinct from palaeography (handwriting) and sigillography (seals) but intersects with archival science, history, and, in the digital age, digital diplomatics, which studies electronic records, metadata, and digital signatures to assess authenticity. Its applications include historical research, archival appraisal, legal claims, and provenance studies.