By Qazim Zeqaj, (New York)
In-depth research in the closed funds of the Vatican Apostolic Library continues to bring to light hidden treasures that testify to how Albanian history, language and space have been documented over the centuries. One such extraordinary discovery comes from the fund of rare manuscripts, where there is a codex dated 1445, which brings to mind the name and early tradition of Albanian space.
It is the Borg Manuscript. ill. 9, on the first page of which (leaf 1v) is clearly marked in the Italian language of the archive:
“Codex in the Illyrian vernacular in Hieronymian or Glagolitic letters, entitled Zerzalo, that is, Reflection, on various events of the Holy Scripture, ecclesiastical history and moral points… written by the cleric Luka for the priest Gregory of Verbeniko, the castle of the Isle of Veghel, in the year 1445.”
This document proves a great truth for all those involved in researching the past: if we do real and persistent research in the world’s largest archives, we can find writings, traces and concrete evidence directly related to the Illyrians and their spiritual and cultural heritage. The use of historical terms such as lingua illirica in Vatican documents shows how the identity and continuity of these territories have left indelible traces in medieval documents.
This discovery is an open invitation to every Albanian scholar and researcher not to stop at the surface, but to dig into international archives. The tireless work in search of such documents not only enriches our national knowledge, but sheds new light on the early written evidence that is waiting to be read and appreciated as it deserves.
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