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MARIANO DI IACOPO, CALLED TACCOLA - De ingeneis, Libri I-II

Place: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich

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Cod. Lat. Monacensis 197 II (BSBM)

Facsimile; ca. 1419-50; 30x22 cm

This autograph paper manuscript, composed of 136 leaves and written in Latin, documents thirty years of Taccola's activities. The predominant themes and problems are civil and military engineering, the analysis of techniques and instruments to measure heights and distances and studies of hydraulic devices (siphons, pumps and mills, sometimes tidally-powered), as well as a series of quotations from ancient authors (especially Philo, Vegetius and Frontinus).

fols. 90v-91r: Soldier fording a river on a horse with inflated leather bags attached to its saddle (left); man floating and swimming with the help of an oar and air-filled bags (right).

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