Two Different Storage Environments for Palm Leaf Manuscripts: Comparison of Deterioration Phenomena

Abstract

Precious palm leaf manuscripts are kept in public libraries, archives, museums, and temples in China. Recently, private collectors have gained interest in collecting such manuscripts as well. Different storage environments and preservation measures may have an impact on the overall condition and deterioration of manuscripts depending on the respective collecting entirety. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the storage situation of palm leaf manuscripts in different storage conditions, identify their state of deterioration and further analyze the underlying reasons. This research focuses on the palm leaf manuscripts stored at the Cultural Palace Library of Nationalities and in the Fandian Palace. Deterioration phenomena, such as acidification, staining, mold, tearing and blurred ink, have occurred. The main problems could be identified as inadequate storage materials and acidification of the wrapping materials. Unfavorable storage conditions also affect aging and deterioration. By comparing palm leaf manuscripts of the two collections, we found that the manuscripts of The Cultural Palace Library of Nationalities are well preserved as a whole, with few signs of deterioration and slight damage, while the manuscripts of the Fandian Palace show more serious problems. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the storage conditions at the latter location and take some measures to prevent the palm leaf manuscripts from continuing to deteriorate.

Evaluation of the Deterioration State of Historical Palm Leaf Manuscripts from Burma

“…Palm leaf manuscripts contained knowledge spanning various domains such as history, mathematics, literature, astronomy, art, and medicine. Valued for their historical, cultural, and relics significance, palm leaf manuscripts are considered precious world cultural heritage [6,7].…”

“…Some scholars have conducted preliminary deterioration assessments and explored measures for the protection of palm leaf manuscripts [10]. Zhang et al [6,7], for example, investigated the types of damage, surface damage, and pH of palm leaf manuscripts at the Potala Palace in Tibet, as well as the deterioration of palm leaf manuscripts in different preservation environments. Singh et al [11] analyzed the composition of pigments in palm leaf manuscripts, improving our understanding of pigment usage in such manuscripts and providing fundamental data for preventive protection measures.…”

“…The state of deterioration of the palm leaf manuscripts is closely related to the environment in which they are preserved. Most palm leaf manuscripts are preserved in museums and libraries across the globe; certain countries, such as India, have hundreds of these manuscripts in private collections [6]. Traditionally, palm leaf manuscripts were stored by wrapping them in cotton or silk cloth for protection against insect damage.…”

Revealing the Mechanism of Ink Flaking from Surfaces of Palm Leaves (Corypha umbraculifera)

“…Our team conducted comprehensive investigations of the deterioration of palm leaf manuscripts preserved in the Cultural Palace Library of Nationalities in Beijing, the Fandian Palace in Shanghai, and so on. , In addition to the media damage of palm leaf manuscripts, the ink fading and flaking have been recognized as a significant form of deterioration (Figure b). Once the ink of palm leaf manuscripts peels off, the stored information will be lost permanently.…”

Analysis of Aspergillus niger isolated from ancient palm leaf manuscripts and its deterioration mechanisms

“…Current scholarly efforts primarily concentrate on collecting, cataloguing, photocopying, and craft inheritance, with a paucity of research dedicated to the degradation and restoration of PLMs [6,7]. Zhang et al [8,9] investigated the surface pathologies, acidification, and degradation of ancient PLMs from the Potala Palace in Tibet, China, and compared the deterioration of the PLMs under different preservation conditions. However, due to the precious nature of these cultural relics, the research was mostly limited to macro-scale observations.…”