South indian incised mss

[GRUENENDAHL]

> >This leads me back to my question: Does anyone have suggestions for
> >microfilming this type of material? Can the often poor result be
> >enhanced by filters, special light or other tricks of the trade?

>                     ....... I would further like to know if you or
> anybody else on the network have witnessed the whole process of making a
> south-indian ms, from incising to inking, and if you could describe it more
> precisely or if you know any reference on that matter.

A reference has already been supplied by somebody else. Among others, 
you can also refer to 
    Losty: The art of the book in India.

As to the process of writing, there may again be different ways of
doing it. One way is to hold the leaf in one hand, fingers parallel
to the leaf. The fingers below are the desk, so to speak, while the
thumb presses the leaf gently against the fingers and at the same
time provides the bottom line for writing. The front part of the
iron stylus rests on the back of the thumb and its shaft is moved
around.

Sorry, I can't describe it any better.




Reinhold Gruenendahl
Niedersaechsische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek
37070 Goettingen
Germany
Phone: 0551/395283

GRUENEN at mail.sub.uni-goettingen.de