Some Aspects of Monastic Cryptography in the Romanian Countries (15^th - 19^th Centuries)

Cryptography was used in all three Romanian Countries (Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania) in the princely chanceries, in monasteries and by private persons. Most of the encryption systems utilized in the Romanian Countries in the 15^th-19^th centuries have foreign origin: Byzantine-Slavic (monastic cryptography) or Austrian, Polish, etc. (in the diplomatic correspondence). Regarding the terminology were used the terms “filtă” in Wallachia and “hiltă” in Moldavia for the old cryptographic writing (monastic cryptography) or the term “ţifră“ (synonymous with “cipher“) for the political and diplomatic encrypted texts. Monastic cryptology includes cryptography used in public and private documents and cryptography used in and on manuscripts, old books, correspondence, mural notes.

This paper presents some encryption systems used in and on manuscripts, old books, correspondence, mural notes in the Romanian Countries (15^th-19^th centuries): der griechische Schlussel (The Greek Key), der taraberische Schlussel, sigla and arithmetic encryption.