Book Description

The 435 acts published in this volume, are written by Petros Kastrofylakas notary in Candia of Crete between 1558 and 1559 and are now preserved in busta 37 of the series Notai di Candia of the State Archives of Venice. In the thorough introduction which precedes the issuance of contracts is investigated the profession of notary mainly on the question of the loss of written contracts in the Greek language, as well as on the face of Kastrofylakas, and on the types of acts contained in his book. The first findings from the study of economic and social identity of the parties and witnesses, the place of residence and their geographical origin and the networks connecting them, occupy a significant part of the introduction. Additionally, parameters of time and space are discussed in relation to the kinds of transactions. The following issuance of 435 acts, written in the Greek language, constituted the first protocol (the rest is lost). Finally a detailed glossary of terms found in the contracts is given.