Dear All,

I have been considering the ways in which scribes made corrections in the manuscripts they were copying, specifically in numerical tables. Of course, there are a variety of practices that (some are neater than others!). One way of interest is the use of what appears to be (in the colour copies of manuscripts I have) a yellowish paste or paint (an early version of modern day “white-out” or “twink”?) which can then written over.

I attach a couple of examples. (The first example it has been used along several successive values in the third row, and in the second an entire column as well as individual entries.)

Does anybody know more about this technique? What was the substance used? How widespread is this? Where can I read more about this?

With best wishes,

Clemency

Dr Clemency Montelle

http://www.math.canterbury.ac.nz/~c.montelle/

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha

Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140

NEW ZEALAND

ph +64 3 364 2267

fax +64 3 364 2587

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