For some time, in diplomatic studies there has been a call to examine more fully the ‘entire life’ of a charter - not only its issuance, but also its preservation and usage. My study of the 13th-century cartulary of Płock Cathedral has demonstrated that its creation was preceded by the process of ‘inventorying’ of charters in the cathedral's possession, during which numerous series of dorsal notes were produced. Further inquiries revealed the presence of such notes in other Polish cathedrals’ collections. This paper aims to shed light on these largely overlooked practices of pragmatic literacy, recorded on the reverse of the charters. The discovered notes offer insight into old charters from the perspective of their medieval users. As I will try to argue, the study of dorsal notes is crucial to broader discussions on the reception of document and its role in wide strategies of memory – the process of formation of its repositories (archives) and shaping of institutional identity.

Among the various gaps in the study of cartularies within Polish historiography, one of the most notable is the lack of adequate consideration given to the form of these still insufficiently recognized chancery records. The term 'cartulary' can encompass a broad spectrum of diverse source types, from single parchment sheets to large, illuminated codices. Recently, Anna Adamska has emphasized the significance of the charter’s appearance and layout in this context. In the case of cartularies, the problem can be observed on two levels: the organization of the graphosphere of the cartulary itself, as well as the reproduction of the graphic features of a particular charter. This paper will look at several examples to explore these overlooked aspects of source studies and to highlight the prestigious, symbolic and ceremonial roles that some cartularies may have played in expressing authority and institutional identity.