A handwritten document, manuscript, or signature; a written text produced by hand rather than printed or typed.
From Greek 'cheir' (hand) + 'graph' (write). The term was especially used in medieval and early modern legal contexts for handwritten contracts and documents.
Medieval lawyers obsessed over chirographs because a person's handwriting was considered as individual and binding as a fingerprint—no photocopies meant your hand proved your identity and commitment.
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