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Palm leaf manuscripts are produced from two main types
of palms: palmyra and talipot. The palmyra leaf is rather
thick and inflexible and inclined toward brittleness
over time. The talipot is thinner and more flexible
and has excellent durability, reportedly lasting as
long as 600 years. Palm leaf manuscripts include many
unique sources on Indian, Nepalese, and Southeast Asian
culture and religion.
Palm leaves are plicate (that is, have parallel folds)
and segmented, with a central rib. The hard yet flexible
flaps on either side of the rib yield the material that
is prepared by drying and polishing for writing or painting
or for incising characters with a metal stylus. Incised
writing is made visible by applying a mixture of lampblack,
bean plant or berry juice, and aromatic oil. The oils
used have included camphor, citronella, castor, lemongrass,
cedarwood, mustard, neem, eucalyptus, clove, and sesame.
They are chosen for their insect repellent qualities.
Although palm leaf manuscripts often vary in size among
different regions of the world, they seem to average
48 centimeters in length and 4 centimeters in width.
There is a considerable range of "book" thickness,
with some single works more than 40 centimeters thick.
Each "book," or bundle of leaves, is usually
fastened together with braided cords
threaded through two holes pierced through the entire
manuscript about 4 centimeters from each end or by the
insertion of bamboo splints. The resultant "binding"
is finished by the addition of heavy wooden covers at
the front and back, also tied by the braided cords or
wrapped with webbing or a textile cloth.
Two techniques are generally used for writing on palm
leaf manuscripts: incising with a pointed metal stylus
and writing directly with a pen or brush. Most palm
leaf manuscripts are incised, with occasional additions
or emendations written with pen on the surface.
Identification
Most palm leaf has a decided curve across its width,
with some rigidity along its length. Although a variety
of sizes have been used, the actual structure of the
plant can be clearly seen, especially with the aid of
a magnifying glass.
The method of writing can also be determined through
magnified examination, helped considerably by raking
light. In recent years a method of printing palm leaf
has been developed for facsimile and ceremonial purposes,
but this can usually be easily detected because of the
uniformity of the characters, the glossy appearance
of the printing ink, and the absence of incision.
Condition Concerns
Damage to and deterioration of palm leaves are usually
the result of staining, mechanical damage, splitting
and cleavage, and insect and rodent activity.
Palm leaf is susceptible to desiccation, losing its
flexibility and becoming brittle. In many cases this
dryness is treated by reapplying oil, which has a darkening
effect if done too often. The lignified cells are particularly
susceptible to degradation and discoloration. When exposed
to high humidity or severely damaged by mold,
palm leaves may stick together in blocks.
The leaf tends to split along longitudinal veins, especially
where previously incised with a stylus. Once begun,
the mechanical damage progresses through the leaf.
Damage is also caused by friction between the cord and
the edge of the binding hole. Some of this damage is
caused by a traditional binding method in which the
threaded cord is wound around the edges of the manuscript,
causing breakage of the leaf edges.
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Palm leaf
