EG20
The
Story of Writing
Renee
Powersficarra
chapter 7
Scroll to Codex
When we look at a modern day book, we never seem to pay attention to the fact that it has taken many forms before progressing to the object we now identify as a "book." Some of the first forms to be recognized as "the book" started our as rolled scrolls, which then progressed to codices.
Following the path of scrolls to codex, as early as 2500BC, Animal skins were used in Western Asia for scrolls to be created. They were rolled forms of what we know as the book. Leather was then often used for written works to be posted to in the era of 950 B.C. Scrolls that dated back to 2400BC were discovered to have been written on papyrus- a yellowish white sheet that was very brittle. Scrolls made of papyrus were more commonly found to be associated with the written works of about 650BC, as they found their way from Egypt to Greece. The scrolls were awkward to handle, and the viewing of the content of this form of the "book" occurred by unraveling only a few inches of text at a time. It was unrolled with the right hand, and rolled up again as it was read, by the left hand. Once one finished reading the entire scrolled "book", it had to be completely rolled back the opposite way to "rewind" it to the beginning. The handles that traveled through the center of the rolls of material were made of "wood, ebony, ivory," or even at times the use of gold was incorporated. The rolls were stored on shelves, and literary works of the time could have filled up to 24 or more full scrolls! That’s a lot of unrolling! Many scrolls were not covered in any type of casing, and repeated used, would lead to damaged goods. This also meant in the cases of natural elemental damage (fire, or water), the scrolls were easily destroyed.
With the need to improve the concept of a form for recording written material, the next step was taken. The awkward scrolls were phased out, and Codices were developed. The first form of a codex was a tablet of wax, framed in wood, with the back covering in wood as well. A stylus, which was an instrument with a pointed tip, was used to inscribe on the wax pages. Writing was accomplished by simply scratching the pointed tip into the wax. Erasing errors in writing could be accomplished by simply scraping and melting the wax until the erased area was smooth again. By the First Century B.C. animal skins were used to substitute the wood framing on the codices. The tablets were used " in school rooms and for letters, notices, and memoranda."
As time passed, the point was reached when the need for a new object for which to write upon, followed the days of scrolls and codices. The stylus of the codex would collect too much wax, and lead to sloppy writing. This was discouraging, and then set the groundwork for the next ideas to be developed in hopes to improve the concept of the tablet to inscribe writing on. Years and years have passed, and time has progressed the present day, of paper back, hard covered, or even miniature books. Beyond that are even the electronic books, used mostly for children, with audio effects! It seem as though mankind always strives for a way to improve his resources for hopes of a more convenient tomorrow. We have come a long way from the days of scrolls, and codice, and have yet to see what the future has in store for the history of writing in our time.
Bibliography:
-Levarie, Norma. The Art&History of Books.New York: J.H. Heineman, 1968
-Allen, Agnes. The Story of The Book. New York: Roy Publishers 10021
Web Sites:
-http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.