The Black Book of Carmarthen, the Book of Taliesin, the history of writing Welsh and the nature of manuscripts:
This episode begins by considering some of the earliest examples of Welsh writing which have survived, and noting that the language has always been a medium for discussion various kinds of learning, including science. We discuss medieval writing technology and emphasize that manuscripts are rare, fragile and valuable. Then we take some time with the Black Book of Carmarthen, the earliest surviving Welsh manuscript – that is, the earliest surviving manuscript written entirely in the Welsh language. Who was the monk who planned and created this collection of Welsh poetry, much of it connected to the legendary poet Myrddin for whom the place was supposedly named? Is it possible to say that Myrddin competes with that other legendary poet, Taliesin, for supremacy in the literary tradition? And what about that important manuscript connected with the competitor, the Book of Taliesin? Why is so much of this Welsh poetry prophetic in nature, and how do people from Penymynydd in Anglesey interpret the Mab Darogan or prophesied saviour?
