The anient palm-leaf manuscripts are almost as ephemeral as a 20th century pulp novel.

We’ve been critical at times of large scale digitalization projects like the ongoing “last library” project being constructed by Google in preparation for their eventual release of Google Editions. We’ve also been laudatory and excited about similar projects by the academe at large and major libraries around the word.

This story falls into that latter category.

A week or so ago I stumbled upon a MSN India story about a massive digital archival project underway in India to preserve electronically one of the more ephemeral modes of literary conveyance: the humble palm leaf manuscript. The MSN story led me to an older but much more elaborate reportage via OneIndia.

The Calicut University in Kerala is scanning over 12,000 palm leaf manuscripts, which apparently comprise over 3,250 individual works and date from as early as 14^th century to as lat as the 18^th century. The smallest of these fascinating manuscripts is a mere 7cm by 3cm. The project is of course intended to preserve the manuscripts and make them accessible to academics worldwide.

OneIndia reports:

The varsity accorded special attention to the digitization project as slight mishandling could result in damage of the rare manuscripts, copies of which were not available, University’s Malayalam Department Head T M Vijayappan, who was coordinating the project told the sources.

The main intention of the venture was to make available the ancient documents on different subjects, including history, palmistry, mathematics, ayurveda, in digitised format to students of research, he said.

So just what exactly is a palm-leaf manuscript? OneIndia has that covered too:

Palm leaves had been a popular writing medium for over 2,000 years in South and Southeast Asia. Use of palm leaves for recording literary and scientific texts were reported from fifth century B C, with the oldest existing documents dating back to second century A D.

The leaf for writing were produced from two main types of palms: palmyra and talipot. The manuscripts are typically created by using a metallic stylus to etch letters into the dried leaf and enhancing the contrast and legibility of the script by applying lampblack or turmeric mixed with aromatic oils chosen for their insect repellent qualities.

They’re rather fascinating looking documents and clearly this will be a boon for scholars and students of Indian history. Still, the pragmatism of insect repellent applications is rather impressive. I wonder what Google is doing about their bugs.