Memory of the World Register - 2015
The Memory of the World Register lists documentary heritage which has been recommended by the International Advisory Committee, and endorsed by the Director-General of UNESCO, as corresponding to the selection criteria regarding world significance and outstanding universal value.
Finland - Skolt Sámi village of Suonjel Suenjel
The archive of the Skolt Sámi village of Suonjel Suenjel in the Pechenga region forms a unique body of documentation of an indigenous community. Preserved for centuries, the archive consists of documents joined together with glue made from bones, eventually forming a nine metre-long scroll. The scroll was kept inside a casing carved from a tree trunk and stored in a secret location known only to three trusted men, who all came from different families. The documents are official edicts issued by the Russian Emperor and the Imperial Government (gramota), which confirmed the rights of the Skolt Sámi community to their fishing and reindeer herding territories.
Georgia - The Oldest Manuscripts Preserved at the National Archives of Georgia
The National Archives of Georgia holds about 900 manuscripts and more than 25 000 Georgian and foreign historical documents. Its chronological frame varies between the 9th-20th centuries. All genres of the old Georgian secular or ecclesiastical literature are presented at the manuscript collection of the fonds.
Germany - Autograph of h-Moll-Messe (Mass in B minor) by Johann Sebastian Bach
With the autograph of Mass in B minor (BWV 232), Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) has presented a classic example of a mass composition. In this respect, the manuscript of Mass in B minor is completely unique: it represents a culmination in multiple ways and is the most outstanding evidence of the compositional mastery of Bach. At the same time, the autograph embodies extensive avowal of religion because it composes the mass text in Latin, which is a universal language. And so one cannot help but think that Bach considered Mass in B minor to be his artistic bequest.
Germany - Documents representing the beginning and the early development of the Reformation initiated by Martin Luther
The documents recommended here represent the beginning and the early development of the Reformation that Martin Luther initiated and that spread from Wittenberg far beyond the German empire of his time and well beyond his own epoch. They document how a religious, ecclesiastical impetus exerted its critical power; directing this force toward the revision of traditional positions, and how it gradually developed into larger societal and political phenomenon which made an impact throughout the world. The selected writings make clear what “Reformation” in this case means. “Reformation” stands for the many aspects of this process of transformation which, based upon the question of the relationship of the human being with God, determined and altered all levels and elements of society and human life – religion, politics, society, culture.
Germany, UK and Myanmar - The Golden Letter of the Burmese King Alaungphaya to King George II of Great Britain
The Golden Letter of the Burmese King Alaungphaya to King George II of Great Britain from the year 1756 is a unique attestation in world history as well as in the history of Burma and Europe in the eighteenth century and is of outstanding aesthetic value. The content of the letter is a trade proposal from Alaungphaya to the English. By granting them a base in a favorable situation he would provide them with a strategic advantage over the rival French interest in exchange for military support against his enemies. The text was engraved on pure gold; the gold leaf decorated with 24 rubies is the sole surviving golden letter from Burma.
Greece - The Derveni Papyrus: The oldest book of Europe
The Derveni Papyrus is of immense importance not only for the study of Greek religion and philosophy, which is the basis for the western philosophical thought, but also because it serves as a proof of the early dating of the Orphic poems offering a distinctive version of Presocratic philosophers. The text of the Papyrus, which is the first book of western tradition, has a global significance, since it reflects universal human values: the need to explain the world, the desire to belong to a human society with known rules and the agony to confront the end of life.
Indonesia - Asian-African Conference Archives
The Asian-African Conference (AAC) Archives is a set of documents, pictures and films related to the Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, from 18 to 24 April 1955. The conference was the first international assembly of Asian-African nations, aimed to promote world peace and cooperation, and freedom from colonialism and imperialism. The Conference was attended by 29 Asian and African countries.
Islamic Republic of Iran and Germany - Al-Masaalik Wa Al-Mamaalik
The Al-Masaalik Wa Al-Mamaalik is one of the most important geographical books from the 4th century AH/10 CE, which presents an accurate description of the socio-economic, cultural and political conditions of the Islamic lands – from India to Africa – supplemented by maps.
Islamic Republic of Iran - Kulliyyāt-i Saʽdi
The compendium of Saʽdi’s works known as Kulliyyat is a treasure of wisdom and a paradigm of knowledge. In the domain of Persian poetry and literature Saʽdi has occupied a chair amongst the most articulate and eloquent speakers. For eight centuries his parables, maxims, exemplars and poems have echoed the most popular words and wisdom; his perspectives have, and continue to, enlighten the most erudite of scholars.
Israel - Aleppo Codex
The manuscript known as the Aleppo Codex or simple the "Crown" (Keter) is the oldest extant nearly complete Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). It is considered by many scholars to be the most exact and authoritative Hebrew Bible and served as a source of text, cantillation and vocalization of the Bible – both in the past and present.
Israel - Isaac Newton's Theological and Alchemical papers
The theological papers reveal an extraordinary and unfamiliar side of Isaac Newton and contribute to a fuller understanding of his character, his religious views, and his interaction with society and the world around him in 17th and 18th century England. The papers shed new light on Newton's mystic and apocalyptic interests, and show that he was as original and radical a religious thinker as he was a scientist. They add a significant and valuable body of knowledge to the study of European intellectual and religious history, as well as to the history of science.
Italy - The Codex Purpureus Rossanensis
A Greek uncial manuscript dating V-VI century containing the gospels of Matthew and Mark. It is known worldwide for its peculiar reddish color of its pages, written in silver and gold inks and has a series of 14 illuminations, illustrating the life and teaching of Christ. The superb miniatures make it one of the oldest illuminated manuscripts of the new testament.
Japan – Archives of Tōji temple contained in one-hundred boxes
Tōji Hyakugō Monjo, or “Archives of Tōji temple contained in one-hundred boxes,” refers to a large collection of documents amassed and preserved by the temple Tōji in Kyoto, Japan. The collection consists of 24,147 records that date from the years 763 to 1711. These materials concern the temple’s political and religious activities as well as the administration of its estates.
Japan – Return to Maizuru Port—Documents Related to the Internment and Repatriation Experiences of Japanese (1945-1956)
When the Japanese Empire collapsed due to defeat in World War II in 1945, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 Japanese military personnel and civilians were interned in labour camps in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum has a unique and extensive collection of materials related to the internment and the survivors’ repatriation from 1945 to 1956.
Republic of Korea - Confucian Printing Woodblocks
This documentary heritage, collectively named the “Confucian Printing Woodblocks in Korea,” comprises 64,226 hand-carved blocks used for printing 718 titles of works written during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). They have been entrusted by 305 family clans and Confucian academies. The woodblocks are a prototype of text communication technology that enabled exploration and dissemination of ideas, engaging scholars and intellectuals across time and distances. They covered a wide range of subjects, including literature, politics, economy, philosophy, and interpersonal relations. The ultimate theme is creating ideal communities built on Confucian morality.
Republic of Korea - The Archives of the KBS Special Live Broadcast "Finding Dispersed Families"
The Archives of the KBS Special Live Broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families” comprises 20,522 records of live broadcasts by the Korean Broadcasting System of reunions of war-dispersed families from June 30 through November 14, 1983. It holds 463 videotapes of 453 hours and 45 minutes of broadcasts, producers’ journals, applications to participate, broadcast ephemera, audiotapes, and photographs. The KBS Special Live Broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families” raised widespread recognition in Korea and around the world of the deep scars that the Cold War had left on individuals.
Mexico - Judicial files concerning the birth of a right: the effective remedy as a contribution of the Mexican writ of amparo to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948
The judicial files submitted correspond to writs of amparo adjudicated by the Mexican federal courts between 1869 and 1935; bearing witness to the birth of a legal institution incorporated to constitutional systems in different countries around the world regarding the protection of individual rights. The scope of protection guaranteed by such a trial covers property rights, public liberties, equality, security rights, and the right to life of both Mexican nationals and foreigners.
Mexico and Italy - The work of Fray Bernardino de Sahagún (1499-1590)
The work of Fray Bernardino de Sahagún (1499-1590) constitutes one of the most renowned historic sources of ancient Mexico. He was a pioneer of modern anthropology and showed singular commitment, reticence and intelligence. His work contains the Matritense Codex, a manuscript product of the great ethnographic research in the New Spain of the mid-16th century and the Florentine Codex, a manuscript in two columns with texts in Náhuatl and Spanish.
Myanmar - Myazedi Quadrilingual Stone Inscription
Myazedi quadrilingual stone inscription, located in Bagan Historic city, is unique and significance written documents of Myanmar history, religion and culture in 12th century A.D. The inscription inscribed in A.D. 1113. There are described with four languages, such as Pyu, Mon, Myanmar and Pali, on each of the four faces. Myazedi stone inscription is the earliest Myanmar language document with chronological date. It is also very rare inscribed pillar of quardrilingual inscription in regional concerned. It is firmly identified the authenticity and intact writing document in 12th century A.D.
The Netherlands - Utrecht Psalter
Few illuminated manuscripts have been studied so intensively as the Utrecht Psalter. It is unique, with its deceptively Late Roman character, its 166 illustrations of the 150 psalms and 16 canticles, its revolutionary dynamic style, and its visual messages about proper rulership. On several accounts, the production of the Utrecht Psalter was a defining moment in Carolingian culture.
It forms a crucial link between Late Roman art and its Carolingian 'translation'. Compared with earlier extant manuscripts, the rich palette of motifs displayed in the Utrecht Psalter is overwhelming. The illustrations reflect the violence and warfare of their own time, but are also meant for moral instruction, apparently for a (future) king. The Utrecht Psalter was the first visual ‘mirror of princes’.
New Zealand - Sir Edmund Hillary Archive
Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing captured the world's imagination in 1953 by conquering Everest, the highest mountain on earth, when everyone before them had failed. Hillary went on to explore places where no man had been before and dedicated much of his life to improving healthcare and education with and for the Sherpas. his enduring legacy in Nepal earned him the title of Surra Sahib (Big Man). Hillary's heroic stature continues to grow on the international stage today, with the sixtieth anniversary of the ascent in worldwide attention.
Poland - The Book of Henryków
The Book of Henryków is a unique source of knowledge about the cultural exchange process which in the High Middle Ages strongly influenced the shape of the future world. Descriptions reflecting the processes of technology and knowledge transfer of significance extending beyond the regional boundaries were weaved into a portrayal of a Silesian Cistercian monastery settling in a new cultural environment.
Poland - Files and library of the Unity of the Brethren
The files of the Unity of the Brethren are a testimony to a religious contestation preceding Lutheran reforms, a pacifist faction of the Hussite movement, who have chosen to live in communities applying the principles of the Gospel, in social equity, and considerably influenced Protestantism and Modernity. They also testifie to exceptional tolerance in Poland of the time, where the Brethren have emigrated to protect their freedom of religion and find shelter, material foundations for a dignified living, and the right to proclaim their religious and political views. The collection also reflects and showcases activity of persons, who had immense influence on European culture and education systems.
United Kingdom of Great Britain - Autograph First World War Diary of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, 1914-1919
The First World War shaped the world throughout the 20th century, and profoundly affected the combatant nations in an unprecedented way. Field Marshal Douglas Haig commanded the largest British Army ever assembled. His diary provides insight into how and why decisions were made, and of the interplay between Haig and other Allied generals. As undoubtedly the most detailed and extensive account kept by any senior commander during the war, the diary is unique. Written in these circumstances, it offers an immediacy that few documentary sources can in the day-to-day record of this cataclysm.