State of the Web Report: Paper, Leather, Clay & Stone

Part I

Paper, Leather, Clay & Stone: The Written Word Materialized

Maryterese Pasquale-Bowen
D. Fairchild Ruggles

http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/Paper-exhibit/Default.html

My definition of books as they relate to book studies has been modified, challenged, stretched, maybe even altered, since the beginning of this course. A big part of understanding books involves understanding the written word or text. The written word has been recorded in a variety of ways and on a variety of materials throughout history. The web site Paper, Leather, Clay, and Stone explores ways the written word has been documented and also the vehicle or material it was documented on making it possible to endure in time giving us an understanding of book history. In other words, the site explores the physical context of written text and it does so through eleven sections that discuss materials, function, significance, and the relationship written text has with its readers.

The first three sections of the site discuss various materials written words were recorded on before paper. Such surfaces include stone (5th century BC), clay (late 3ed, early 2nd century BC), coins (1st century), and wood (as early as 3ed century). The Book of the Dead (332-30 BC) in section two, presents an example of papyrus as a writing surface and its significance to ancient Egyptians illustrating the magical power of words and images in including such a text in burial practices. The third section illuminates how the shortage of papyrus lead to the discovery of parchment (2nd century BC) and eventually paper. Parchment was made from processed goat skin made smooth for writing. Paper, like papyrus, is made from plants like flax or cotton and was first developed in China, spread through Islamic lands to northern Africa and into Europe to eventually reach the Mayans in Mexico. The introduction of parchment and paper impacted the appearance as well as the quantity of texts produced because both materials can be made into codices, or book-like formats, allowing for the accommodation of illustrations and decorations. With the development of paper, the role and function of texts to cultures would never be the same. Tree bark as well as tree leaves presented other examples of surfaces texts were recorded on in the Americas and in the Himalayan regions, as well as in India and in Southeast Asia.

The next six sections deal with the function of written texts. Section four explores books of religious content and how they are elevated to a position of special cultural significance. Such books were very elaborate in their physical presentation. They were decorated with precious materials and were highly guarded alluding to their magnificence and importance to their respective cultures. Next, we are presented with The Lombard Gradual, which unlike most medieval books that were designed for private use, had a public function. It was used by choirs of monks, friars, or nuns for chant during portions of mass. Once again, like the religious books of the previous section, these books represented an act of devotion and hence were extravagant in their production. Section six suggests the revolutionizing of the written word with the introduction of printing. Printing made it possible to mass produce texts quickly and cheaply satisfying the demand for knowledge brought forth by the Renaissance, inflaming the popularity of the reformation, and ushering the age of information. Examples of the various forms of the Bible are presented here to highlight the transition from manuscript to print. Section seven, The Repository of Knowledge, deals with the collecting and organization of large bodies of knowledge. Encyclopedia Maxima and Encylopedie are presented as examples in this section. The eighth section proposes ways of communicating law and identity by achieving a certain level of authority through recording legal status and conferring identity. The examples presented here are patents of nobility and tombstones. The section titled The Book Preserves the Past discusses how books have the ability to capture a certain sentiment of their time as well as their ability to preserve it. The examples here imply a fascination with history as well as understanding a notion of the past. These two concepts are absorbed in order to preserve time and also to create a new representation of the written word.

The final two sections discuss the relationship texts have with their readers as well as the role institutions of power had in influencing the readers of such texts. Section ten discusses the attempts by religious and secular institutions to contain and suppress the written word on seditious or immoral grounds. Censorship in its various forms is explored in this section using such examples as Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which was an index of books banned by the Catholic Church. The section also discusses the physical alteration of texts in order to make them comply with the prohibitions of the Catholic Church as well as texts subjected to various levels of legal and moral scrutiny as late as in the twentieth century. The eleventh and final section deals with the physical nature of books and how it relates to the perception of its' readers. This section suggests that the design and arrangement of texts directly affects the interaction with the reader. The examples presented here include books with interactive inserts, books with commentary in the margins suggesting how the reader might interpret the text, and books with empty margins for the readers to add to the text and make their own interpretation. The introduction of computers and the Internet poses a whole new way of looking at texts.

As shown in this site, it's important to remember that texts are not fixed, rather they can take the form of various shapes, sizes, and materials. They have the ability to communicate the past and the present while preserving for the future. Books speak volumes of the cultures they were created in and for. They contain a direct relationship with their readers regardless of how they might be interpreted.

Part II

This site is very significant in understanding books and the studies of the written texts. I have always been fascinated with history and this site is the next best thing to visiting a museum with an exhibit to on the history of texts. At first glance, the site does a great job of capturing one's attention with its brilliant color background choice. The layout of the site allows for the relative ease of navigating through it. The sections of the various topics are clearly presented in a map of sorts on the first page. The introduction is concise in its mission and the sections that follow fulfill the goal the site sets out to accomplish. Furthermore, each section has its own introduction followed by sub-sections with illustrations and various examples of the topic at hand. Captions are provided for each image giving a description, a date, and their significance to what is being discussed. One may even choose to enlarge the images for a better view with a simple click of the mouse.

The information presented in this site is as reliable and objective as may be. There are two main authors for this site, however its contents are part of The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection belonging to Cornell University and its library systems. The site is produced in a collaborated effort between Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Binghamton University for educational and research purposes. A link is provided to Cornell University's Library dealing with The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection, or RMC. Upon entering the link one is provided with all sorts of information alluding to the authenticity of the site and the qualifications of the people involved in making the site possible. The domain of the site, edu, also suggests some validity in its educational quality. If that is not enough, one may choose to directly contact the RMC through the phone numbers or e-mail addresses provided. Visiting the collection in person is also a possibility as a physical address with a link to a map is provided as well.

The site is professionally done, current, and easily accessible. It is very informative and viable in its presentation and can definitely be used to research and learn about the study of books and texts. I would definitely recommend that all members of the class view this site as I found it very relevant to the topics we have been discussing in class. It illuminates the study of the written word by taking the observer through a journey in history discovering the various forms of texts throughout time.

Folktales of the Middle East: A Long Response to a Comment/Question

I have not written down any of the stories told to me on that trip, but now that you mention it, I have gained a new found desire to do so. I think it would be very gratifying to at least note down some of it and revisit it from time to time in order to reflect or maybe even expand on it. I have, however, engaged in conversation with both my parents in order to refresh my memory on the vast amount of information I encountered on that eye opening trip. Now that I think about it, it definitely would make for a great project that would be a source of much personal satisfaction and pride. It would be something that would connect me with my history, learn about my past and keep in a family archive of sorts to pass on to future generations in my family. In an ideal world, where I can devote that much time to doing something of that magnitude, such a project would be of great interest to me.

See what you started!

Anyways, back to the subject at hand. To answer your question, I do know some Syrian folktales. Some of the tales are derived from the French peasant tales with some modifications made to fit the norms and the culture of the region. Other tales, as far as I know or was able to confirm, are indigenous to the region.

As a child growing up between two countries, Syria and Algeria, I encountered folktales in two forms. One way, was through hearing them through word of mouth from my grandmothers and my aunts, or orally. The other, was through reading the tales in children's books in Arabic. I recall reading such stories as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. For the most part, the titles of these tales were the same as in Cinderella, but in others, the titles were altered but still followed a similar storyline. Little Red Riding Hood, for example, was known as Leila and the Wolf. In fact, the theme of the wolf was followed in many a storyline. As in the European versions, these stories were meant to teach children the do's and don’ts of growing up and being cautious with strangers. One version in particular, the wolf appears at the door of the house where the kids are home alone and uses trickery and manipulation like altering his voice to sound like the parents so the children let him in. When his attempt fails, the wolf then tries to get in through windows or even a chimney but to no avail because the children are always a step ahead of him and outsmart him. The wolf is then carried away, usually in a humorous manner, and the children are rewarded for handling the situation wisely and bravely. The outcome didn't always go so well for the children. The wolf in some versions would get the best out of the kids and ends up eating or killing them. This of course would depend on the source telling the story.

I have also encountered folktales, of which I have no evidence to the contrary, that originated in the Middle East. I'm hesitant to label them as Syrian folktales because the national boundaries of that region were not always defined so clearly throughout history. A series of folktales that I recall being exposed to as a child, were those of Al-shatter Hassan or "valiant Hassan". These tales possessed themes and motifs dealing with bravery, courage, love, and always behaving ethically and morally. Hassan was the type of hero boys wanted to be like and girls dreamed of being with. The storyline of his adventures normally consisted of him traveling to different lands, fighting off bandits and unjust institutions of power to defend his home, his people, and to rescue his love, who seemed to always be kidnapped. Needless to say, his tales were for the purpose of promoting chivalry, courage, honesty, and fighting of evil. Villains would take on different identities depending on the era or setting in which these stories were told. In the mid nineteenth and well into the twentieth century, these villains took on the identities of the British and French colonizers. The tales I was exposed to as a child it was the Israelis who sometimes took on that role. It's important to note that I said Israelis and not Jews. As I see it now, the conflict is a national one dealing with land and the right to exist. It's not about anti-Semitism or the right to worship, at least not for me. I don't always feel that distinction is made and it ought to be noted.

On a lighter note, other folktales that were a part of my childhood were those of Hammal Tizo Bil-salleh. Translated this means, "He who carries his Ass in a Basket". These stories depicted a monster like creature resembling a donkey who walked around carrying his derriere in a basket scaring children and committing unfavorable acts. These stories would scare children because of the creature's hideous appearance and unpleasant demeanor. The tales also had the function of amusing adults because they were full of anecdotes as well as material not suitable for children. Of course that doesn't mean the person telling the stories used any discretion and cleaned up the material if children were present while the tale was being told. This wasn't very different from the oral traditions and customs of European peasant lore.

In conclusion, I want to make a distinction by stating that the stories my grandfather shared with me were not the same stories I shared with you here dealing with my experiences with folklore in and of the region. The stories my grandfather shared with me were actual accounts of things that happened during his lifetime since his birth in 1926 in the vicinity of the Golan Heights in southwestern Syria. The accounts he shared with me were from his childhood until today. He told me stories of his army days and being stationed on the Syria/Turkey border in the mid to late 1940's as well as his work in the police force in Daraa, the city where my parents and I were born. Also of his days working for the Department of Agriculture and living through decade after decade of conflict and instability in the part of the world that is the cradle of civilization. Those are the stories that I would be interested in documenting because they are a link to my past.



http://www.middle-east-map.com/

http://nabataea.net/generalmap.html



The Golan Heights, July 2007.
(The tree line in the distance across the valley and beyond is Israeli ocuppied land)

The Place Of Orality In Our History

In the summer of 2007, I took a trip back to my homeland of Syria. It was my first trip back in twenty years almost to the date. Although I had ambitions of site seeing and visiting various regions and neighboring countries, I found myself, except for a couple trips to Damascus, staying in my town of Daraa and absorbing all I can from its rich history and its people as well as my family. My grandfather, who I got to really know, told me some stories that dated back to the 1930's, through World War II, post war Syria, the Arab/Israeli conflict, and other accounts of everyday life and how it changed throughout the decades. It was truly a remarkable experience and what was even more remarkable is the way he told me the stories. He told them with such enthusiasm and attention that even the most minute detail was not even missed. I felt that I was in the middle of a history lesson. Better yet, some of his accounts contradicted some of the things I have learned in history books.

What does all this have to do with anything?

Two things. One, history is written by those who have something to gain by depicting it their way and is completely biased. And second, the importance of orality and oral culture is as vital in understanding our past as any written document or text.

In their essays, Robert Darton and Lawrence W. Levine, give an insight into the lives of French peasants and North American slaves by studying their respective oral cultures. The tales examined by Darton and Levine are not quite the same type of stories or accounts my grandfather shared with me. The two essays dealt more with folk tales that depicted everyday life, the construction of the world, and ways of coping with it. Darton refers to the "staying power" of such tales asserting that, "folktales are historical documents. They have evolved over many centuries and have taken different turns in different cultural traditions." Any attempt to dismiss the value these tales as insignificant in historical value takes away from the historical significance of those oppressed. Although history is written by those who have means and power to write it, a history that does not include the story of all people everywhere is not a complete history.

On one level or another, I think it's easier to view history as a written record. Therefore, oral traditions and oral cultures can be dismissed as primitive and inarticulate simply because they are not written down. Even though the tales are subject to modification and changes as they are transferred from culture to culture throughout centuries, the main idea is still there. And that idea is that there was a struggle for survival amongst those who told and retold the tales. Telling these tales served as a coping mechanism as well as provided hope for a better life. Even more, these tales told of their story, and that is just as an important part of history as any.

The Culture Of Manuscripts

I never realized the degree of importance of manuscripts and the degree of widespread popularity manuscript culture had, particularly in seventeenth century England. Or maybe I simply didn't give it much thought. In a very enlightening talk, one way Peter Beal described manuscript culture of the time as possessing an "army of scribes and scriveners". It provided employment to many and in addition to being a part of everyday life it involved the networking of those involved in theatre from owners, to managers, to actors, to playwrights, and more. Manuscript studies are vital in understanding theatre history, however, they are not limited to the culture of the theatre nor just the seventeenth century, although that seems to be the time it gained much popularity. In addition to Elizabethan times, manuscripts were a big part of the Jacobean as well as the Caroline periods.

Manuscripts encompassed speeches, letters, deeds, receipts, contracts, translations, prayers, and literary works of all sorts. Studying them provides tangible evidence and substantial proof for documenting history in general. They provide a first hand account of everyday life by providing insight to such things as mannerisms of people at court, to how much suffering the plague brought forth, to documents that may have changed the course of history.

Now that I think about it, particularly from a literary point of view, what better way to get into an author's head and fully comprehend the train of though he or she might had followed in composing their texts than by exposing oneself to their primary work, particularly their manuscripts. Advances in technology have made it possible to be able to view manuscripts through digital mediums since viewing the original is not a commonly feasible option. The aesthetics of feeling, seeing, and even smelling the original manuscript might be taken out of the experience, but at least a copy of the manuscripts can still be studied just as deeply.

The Tool That Is The Book

The truth of the matter is, although always surrounded by books, not until entering this class have I given this much thought into understanding the concept of the book. Understanding and grasping a concept, that may or may not even be a discipline, of book history, might prove to be very elusive. Leslie Howsam, in her work, Old Books & New Histories, opened up new ways for me to think about books. Prior to that, I always thought of books as either ways to access information and knowledge, to open up worlds that I don't have to necessarily have to jump on a plane to see, to read critically for the purpose of education, or simply for leisure reading. However, as pointed out by Howsam, books are much more than that. They are both complex as well as complicated, they have held many forms through out history or periodization, they infuse other disciplines and cultures for the sake of identifying what it is to be a book.

In Old Books and New Histories, we are introduced to new ways of thinking about books. The reader encounters ways of identifying the book that include artefact, transaction, vehicle, and commodity. The term that I found more interesting is, tool. While brainstorming in class last week, we described a tool as something that changes or transforms life. It was also added that a tool might be something that encourages change and it may be neither a progression or a devolution. Being a practical person, viewing books as tools but not limiting them to that definition, helps me understand the role that they play in our culture.

Marshall McLuhan introduces the concept of "print culture" as a way of looking at books as a new invention and ties in cultural changes of a period of time. He asserts that although the mediums of which books have taken on different forms have been altered throughout history, the message is still the same. This is reassuring considering the introduction of the internet and its many advances when it comes to the book and the role that it plays. Peter Burke adds that it is more realistic to view print as a, "...catalyst, assisting in social changes rather than originating them". The book as a cultural transaction, communicates a great deal in the advances of mankind. As a consumer of the book and a lover of history and other cultures, it is the term "cultural transaction" that I would like to explore further as this class progresses.