A technique borrowed from ecology hints at hundreds of lost medieval legends
Only about 9 percent of documents containing European tales from that time may have survived
![an ancient bishop's headgear which was stiffened by manuscripts](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/021722_bb_lost-books_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
An analysis estimates that written copies of medieval European adventure and romance tales survived better in countries such as Ireland than in others like England. Recycling of those documents, such as using fragments of a manuscript to stiffen a bishop’s headgear (shown), contributed to losses.
CC-BY Suzanne Reitz, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling (Copenhagen)