Photo: Harvard Law Today
In 1946, Harvard Law School scored what it viewed as a great deal when it paid $27.50 for a copy of the Magna Carta. Almost 100 years later, that bargain turned out even better than they imagined, as scholars have just revealed that the “copy” is actually a rare original. This makes it just one of seven created after King Edward I's 1300 declaration.
Interestingly, Harvard has its digitization project to thank for the discovery. Professor David Carpenter, a professor of Medieval History at King’s College London, was studying unofficial copies of the Magna Carta when he came upon Harvard's version. As he began investigating, he suspected that he was looking at an original and began comparing it to other authenticated versions. He also collaborated with Professor Nicholas Vincent, a professor of Medieval History at the University of East Anglia, to confirm his suspicions. After examining the document's provenance, they are confident that Harvard's version is original.
“This is a fantastic discovery,” says Professor Carpenter. “Harvard’s Magna Carta deserves celebration, not as some mere copy, stained and faded, but as an original of one of the most significant documents in world constitutional history, a cornerstone of freedoms past, present, and yet to be won.”
The Magna Carta holds special significance because it was the first written document to state that kings are beholden to the same law as their subjects. By limiting the power of the monarchy, it established the basis for future legal systems.
The scholars noted that the size of the document, as well as the handwriting, is consistent with the other six originals. They also closely examined the text and saw that it adhered to the authorized version found in the other originals. So, how did it make its way to America? Professor Carpenter and Professor Vincent discovered that a Royal Air Force war hero had inherited an archive of documents that included the Magna Carta. He then placed the document up for auction in 1945, where it was purchased by a London bookdealer, who then sold it to Harvard.
This incredible discovery only underlines the importance of digitization, as the true nature of this document would have remained a secret if Harvard had not placed it online. “This work exemplifies what happens when magnificent collections, like Harvard Law School Library’s, are opened to brilliant scholars,” says Amanda Watson, Harvard Law School’s assistant dean for Library and Information Services. “Behind every scholarly revelation stands the essential work of librarians who not only collect and preserve materials but create pathways that otherwise would remain hidden.”
Source: Harvard Law School’s ‘copy’ of Magna Carta revealed as original
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