CTAN Comprehensive TeX Archive Network

Directory fonts/aboensis

README
Aboensis is a package that contains the free OpenType/PS paleographic
font Aboensis and a style file for using it with XeLaTeX.

The typeface is a cursive book hand based on Codex Aboensis that it a
medieval book of laws written in Sweden during the 1430s. Since all
relevant characters do not occur in the text, some other roughly
contemporary sources were also consulted. The most important of those
was the cartulary Register Ecclesia Aboensis that was started in the
1480s.

This font is intended mainly for emulating medieval manuscripts and
has secondary use as a display font. Because medieval cursive is very
difficult to understand for modern readers, aboensis is not suitable
for general purpose use. 

The font has a large number of symbols that were in use in the 15th
century but fell out of use during the early modern period. These
symbols can be accessed either using ligature substitutions ar by
enabling suitable OpenType features. The general approach is that
abbreviation substitutions are written inside brackets. For example,
'[per]' enters a 'p' that has a strike going through its tail. The
font has also features that allow highlighting capital characters with
drawing different colored strikes over them. This highlighting is
controlled with OpenType Features that are described in the
documentation.

The main problem with typsetting cursive using XeLaTeX is that long
ascenders and descenders cause uneven line distance. The style file
aboensis.sty contains helper macros that let ascenders and descenders
oerlap with each other. 

This font is distributed under the SIL Open Font License. The
documentation TeX file is distributed under the Latex Project Public
License (LPPL) version 1.3c or later. The digitized manuscript images
in the documentation are distributed either under Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) or are Public Domain. The
license and attribution of each individual image is specified in
aboensis.pdf.

Download the contents of this package in one zip archive (36.1M).

Aboensis – A late medieval OpenType cursive font

The package contains the free OpenType medieval cursive font Aboensis and a style file to use it in XeLaTeX documents.

The font is based on Codex Aboensis, that is a law book written in Sweden in the 1430s. Since medieval cursive is very difficult to read for modern people, the font is not suitable for use as an ordinary book font, but is intended for emulating late medieval manuscripts.

The font contains two sets of initials: Lombardic and cursive to go with the basic alphabet, and there is support for writing two-colored initials and capitals. There are also a large number of abbreviation sigla that can be accessed as ligature substitutions.

The style file contains macros that help to use the extended features of the font such as initials and two-colored capitals. There are also macros to help achieve even pages with consistent line spacing.

PackageAboensis
Version 2021-07-24
LicensesCC BY 4.0
The Project Public License 1.3c
The SIL Open Font License
Public Domain Software
Copyright2021 Tommi Syrjänen
MaintainerTommi Syrjänen
Contained inTeX Live as aboensis
MiKTeX as aboensis
TopicsOTF Font
Bookhand Font
Font support
Medieval Font
Display Font
Proportional Font
Calligraphic Font
...
Guest Book Sitemap Contact Contact Author