On a 13th-century ship launched into the open sea, it is better to set limits. If there are mice gnawing at the clothes of the seafarers, it will be the master's responsibility to provide cats. If a sailor falls asleep, he will be prevented from drinking wine and will only be allowed to eat bread that day as punishment. If chests with merchandise have to be loaded from the anchored ship to the shore, they cannot weigh more than the determined kilos. Because, in the face of problems far from land, where law governs, new solutions. And for greater guarantee, their permanence in writing. Thus was born the Consolat de Mar, a compilation of laws written by men of the sea that uses their uses and customs as an alternative to solve conflicts. This book, born in the Crown of Aragon, would sail throughout the Mediterranean and give rise to the first code of international maritime law.
The Consolat de Mar accumulates 750 years of history and from this month until October it is remembered in the exhibition From Gothic to the Metaverse at the Museu Marítim de Barcelona. This exhibition seeks to highlight one of the oldest institutions in the Western world, which has touched all kinds of shores; from the legal and commercial, to the cultural. Its importance leads to recognizing its auctoritas and ensures its future validity. Thus, in this exhibition that spans from Gothic to the present day, past, present, and future become one.
The exhibition consists of twelve sections, each accompanied by a video of a specialist who announces what is necessary to understand it. It begins with the explanation of the origin of the Consolat de Mar, starting from the maps that locate its beginnings. The entrepreneurial process for trading and the characters that make up such a business are presented. Some of the guarantees for sailors and pilgrims that were included in the Consolat de Mar are exhibited. Some of the risks of traveling, such as the possibility of shipwreck, are presented. The Consolat de Mar had to foresee these situations.
In addition to aspects that were taken into account in the Book of the Consolat de Mar, objects from the era are displayed. There is a section dedicated to the different types of boats that were used then; galleys, cogs, ships, and logs. Furthermore, one can see the goods that were exchanged, such as ginger, cinnamon, and pepper, textile dyes, wax, and even slaves. One section shows the coins of the time and the cuisine that developed on board and crossed the Mediterranean, influencing what was served at tables. Finally, all sections converge in the one that recognizes the antiquity of the institution within which all the stories told so far are framed; three-quarters of a millennium. And it closes with a cry: We continue sailing!
This motto can be seen throughout the exhibition. Given that the objective is to recognize the validity of the Consolat del Mar, when explaining its history, an attempt is made to contrast past with present. For example, in the area dedicated to imported and exported products, a silver pendant from the Tous brand is found. Silver, in the 13th century, was imported from Sardinia.
The Consolat de Mar was groundbreaking in its time, and following its roots steeped in modernity, this exhibition adds immersion in the metaverse. Virtual reality glasses will allow one to appear on a 13th-century ship, cross its bow, take the helm, unroll the maps found there. In this way, the exhibition fully immerses one in the sea of the history of this institution, so ancient yet still a pioneer in promoting mediation to resolve conflicts.
In reality, the exhibition From Gothic to the Metaverse is part of a set of several events, given the various aspects it influenced. For example, a book with 150 recipes from the Consolat de Mar will be published, written by three chefs from the Balearic Islands, Valencia, and Catalonia. Furthermore, due to its thirst for the future, a university symposium will be held on September 29 and 30 on the legacy of the Consolat de Mar in relation to international maritime law, diplomacy, commercial regulation, among others.
International maritime law was born from the uses and customs of certain seafarers who decided to resort to arbitration for the resolution of their problems and put it in writing. This way of doing things was transmitted along with the goods that were exchanged and permeated Western culture. Today, resolving conflicts in this way remains an option, and recognizing its roots, which are identified with ours, involves navigating this exhibition.