Bladzijde uit een Deventer almanak voor het schrikkeljaar 1596 c. 1596

This small piece of paper is from a Deventer almanac for the leap year 1596, made in the Netherlands by an anonymous printmaker. Almanacs like this one served as essential tools for navigating daily life in the late 16th century, mixing practical information with astrological predictions. The fragment here contains text in Early Modern Dutch, detailing astronomical events, such as a lunar eclipse and other astrological data. The text also mentions a "loflicker stat Pevéter," likely referring to a notable place or event relevant to the region. Deventer, as a prominent trade and cultural center, would have been a hub for such publications, catering to merchants, scholars, and the general public. Understanding the social context of this almanac involves looking at the history of printing, the spread of knowledge, and the importance of local trade networks in the Netherlands during this period. Historians use such printed ephemera to understand the everyday concerns and beliefs of people who lived long ago.