A medieval notebook was accidentally discovered in a latrine in Paderborn, Germany, during construction work. The manuscript, dating from the 13th or 14th century, is undergoing restoration.

An old notebook of notes, hundreds of years old, was found on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in a medieval latrine in Paderborn, Germany, during construction work at the town hall. The discovery was made by archaeologists monitoring the site. The notebook, dating from the late 13th century or early 14th century, is made of leather, wood, and wax and is now undergoing restoration in Münster. Barbara Rüschhoff-Parzinger, a cultural officer, emphasized the uniqueness of the discovery, mentioning that it is the only object of its kind found in North Rhine-Westphalia. The manuscript contains ten pages, and the text, likely written in Latin, could provide valuable information about medieval life in Westphalia. The exceptional state of preservation is due to the humid environment of the latrine, and specialists hope that modern technologies will allow for the complete deciphering of the text.