The oldest extant palm-leaf document dates from the second century A.D., but the use of palm leaves as writing material was already recorded in the fifth century B.C. In Cochin (now the State of Kerala) written doc
uments and books have been inscribed on the leaves of two species of palm tree, specially prepared for that purpose, for more than 600 years. As the veins of a palm leaf are parallel to the edge, the horizontal straight lines of the northern Indian scripts would split the leaf but the rounded Malayalam script was ideally suited to this medium; in fact it has been suggested that the roundness of the letters is an adaptation of the script to the properties of the palm leaf. The text was written with a stylus, which scratched the letters into the leaf. The leaves were cut to a uniform length and strung together by a cord passing through one or two circular holes cut in each leaf, either centrally or close to each end. This cord is long enough to allow the leaves to be sufficiently separated to be read. The "book" was completed by similarly pierced covers at the beginning and end, enabling the manuscript to be bound shut by twisting the cord around them when not in use. These covers were usually wooden, often carved, but for more valuable works covers of metal or ivory might be used. Most palm leaf manuscripts were of a religious or instructional nature, but during the period from 1837 almost to the end of the nineteenth century palm leaves were also used for fiscal documents for conveyancing of land. As these were single leaves, written on both sides, they required neither holes nor covers.
The word "writing" in connection with the South India palm-leaf documents is a misnomer, conveying the wrong idea of the use of pen and ink. These were indeed used in birch bark books and on palm leaves in North India, but the rounded scripts of the south, such as Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil, were scratched into the surface of the leaf with a special steel-tipped stylus. Although there was an almost infinite variety in the detail of the styli, reflecting the status, wealth and taste of the owner, there were in India only two basic designs. The original design was a piece of metal about six inches long, bulbous in the middle where it rested against the hand and tapered to each end, resulting in a perfectly balanced writing instrument. The cheapest were handmade from iron while silver or brass were used for the more elaborate and expensive examples. In Sri Lanka the designs of the styli were so varied that they may have been made to individual order. The later design, which probably appeared in the early twentieth century, incorporated a knife blade which folded into the handle of the stylus; the knife attachment was used for cutting the palm leaves to the required length. Again the cost of this combination "pen-knife" was determined by the materials of which the handle was constructed: bone and wood for the common man, ivory and brass for the wealthy citizen. The cult of individuality went so far as to have the owner's name inlaid in silver on one side of the blade and a handle embellished with gold and rubies. At the other end of the scale, children learning to write could make use of the long thorns from a thorn bush.
uments and books have been inscribed on the leaves of two species of palm tree, specially prepared for that purpose, for more than 600 years. As the veins of a palm leaf are parallel to the edge, the horizontal straight lines of the northern Indian scripts would split the leaf but the rounded Malayalam script was ideally suited to this medium; in fact it has been suggested that the roundness of the letters is an adaptation of the script to the properties of the palm leaf. The text was written with a stylus, which scratched the letters into the leaf. The leaves were cut to a uniform length and strung together by a cord passing through one or two circular holes cut in each leaf, either centrally or close to each end. This cord is long enough to allow the leaves to be sufficiently separated to be read. The "book" was completed by similarly pierced covers at the beginning and end, enabling the manuscript to be bound shut by twisting the cord around them when not in use. These covers were usually wooden, often carved, but for more valuable works covers of metal or ivory might be used. Most palm leaf manuscripts were of a religious or instructional nature, but during the period from 1837 almost to the end of the nineteenth century palm leaves were also used for fiscal documents for conveyancing of land. As these were single leaves, written on both sides, they required neither holes nor covers.The word "writing" in connection with the South India palm-leaf documents is a misnomer, conveying the wrong idea of the use of pen and ink. These were indeed used in birch bark books and on palm leaves in North India, but the rounded scripts of the south, such as Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil, were scratched into the surface of the leaf with a special steel-tipped stylus. Although there was an almost infinite variety in the detail of the styli, reflecting the status, wealth and taste of the owner, there were in India only two basic designs. The original design was a piece of metal about six inches long, bulbous in the middle where it rested against the hand and tapered to each end, resulting in a perfectly balanced writing instrument. The cheapest were handmade from iron while silver or brass were used for the more elaborate and expensive examples. In Sri Lanka the designs of the styli were so varied that they may have been made to individual order. The later design, which probably appeared in the early twentieth century, incorporated a knife blade which folded into the handle of the stylus; the knife attachment was used for cutting the palm leaves to the required length. Again the cost of this combination "pen-knife" was determined by the materials of which the handle was constructed: bone and wood for the common man, ivory and brass for the wealthy citizen. The cult of individuality went so far as to have the owner's name inlaid in silver on one side of the blade and a handle embellished with gold and rubies. At the other end of the scale, children learning to write could make use of the long thorns from a thorn bush.
Although the stylus may sound like a cumbersome instrument, an experienced writer could write as fast with this tool as a European with a fountain-pen. The stylus was held in the right hand and the palm leaf in the left. As the writing material was not supported by a desk or table the writer did not need to sit but was equally capable of writing while standing or even walking. When the written document was a letter the completed leaf was neatly folded up with the ends turned inwards or wound into a coil, and fastened outside with a strap of the same material. The inscribed text was usually read as it was written, but the legibility could be improved by taking a swab of lemon grass oil and wiping it over the page. The scratched letters absorb the oil and stand out as if written in ink. The writing could also be enhanced by rubbing in charcoal powder. The lemon grass oil cleaned the surface of undesirable accumulations and also helped with the general preservation of the manuscript. In addition to a supply of prepared palm leaves, a complete writing kit consisted of a stylus, a knife and the scribing compass for cutting the holes; the tools were usually kept together in a metal sheath-like holder.
Stylus
No comments:
Post a Comment