Metagenomic analysis of DNA extracted from Missale Aboense
This study presents an interdisciplinary investigation of Missale Aboense (1488), the first printed book commissioned for use in present-day Finland. While medieval manuscripts have been extensively studied, printed books on parchment remain understudied, particularly regarding their material properties and production practices. Focusing on the nearly complete parchment copy preserved in the Royal Danish Library, we combine historical, codicological, and scientific methods to examine its manufacture, materials, and use. Our approach integrates visual analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), biocodicological techniques (ZooMS, PQI, DNA, microbiome analysis), and a newly developed image-based wear analysis using Microscopy Image Browser (MIB). The results confirm the use of calf parchment and sheepskin binding, standard late fifteenth-century inks and pigments, and practical material choices suited to printing. Use-wear and microbiome analyses reveal expected handling patterns, with heavier wear on recto pages and frequent consultation of central liturgical sections. Together, these findings provide a rare case study of early printing on parchment and new insights into the manufacture and use of printed liturgical books in late medieval Northern Europe.