We provide a service for the transcription and transliteration of old texts, with the collaboration of professional experts in the palaeographical and historical field.
By transcription, we mean the reproduction in legible characters of texts written in old handwriting. The work of transcription aims to reconstruct the text in its original language, writing out any abbreviations and inserting punctuation.
By transliteration, we mean interpretation of the text and its reproduction in modern Italian in order to make its meaning fully clear.
In case you need to gain a general understanding of the document or look for specific information in the text, you can also consider our services of thematic research and abstracting.
Some transcription projects performed by Galactus
Detail of the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi , Padua
Summary of a dispute over family tombs
The wife of Pietro Savioli, Tina Faruncella, ordered the construction of a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the center of the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi in Padua. The chapel contained the Savioli family tombs, but the family emblem got accidentally broken. It was subsequently used for the church paving, creating confusion over the ownership of the tomb. Several people not belonging to the family were mistakenly buried there.
This inadvertent hostile possession of the tomb provoked a long dispute that was resolved only by a transfer agreement: ownership of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin was exchanged for that of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, which then became the new tomb of the Savioli family. Galactus Traduzioni transcribed and translated from Latin the summary of the events and the contract signed in presence of the “Most Reverend Signor Maestro Antonio da Bologna, General Prior of the same Order and of the Congregation of the Friars.” (translated from Latin by G. Russo)
Complex transcription
The transcription of the text of this fine parchment was extremely difficult. The document concerns Melchiorre Manfredini (Rovigo 1661-1739), Archpriest of the Collegiate Church of St. Stephen Protomartyr, entitled St. Damian.
Our client provided a first draft which our collaborator completed, having succeeded in deciphering the words that the client had considered illegible. To the great satisfaction of all concerned.
Aloysius Mocenigus Dei gratia dux Venetiarum universis et singulis, tam | amicis quam fidelibus, has nostras inspecturis significamus Aloysium Cavertini qui | sub die 3a iunii rogavit procuratorem Lauretane Marangoni messer | Melchiorem Mampherdini ad agendum esse hominem bone opinionis et fa|me, cuius scripti hic et ubique plena fides est adhibenda. Datum in nostro ducali palatio die II augusti, indictione XIVa, 1706.
Transcription by G. Russo.
Parchment, 1706