Palm Reeding
Before the invention of paper as we know it today, papyrus plants and palm leaves were used as writing surfaces in Egypt and parts of southeast Asia, respectively.
The earliest Egyptian papyrus dates to around 3000 BCE. Taking its name from the plant, Cyperus papyrus, papyrus was made by removing the hard outer rind of the papyrus stem and then slicing the exposed pith lengthwise into numerous thin, sticky strips. The strips were laid next to each other, followed by a second layer laid perpendicular to the first. The layers were pounded together, causing them to adhere into a sheet which was dried flat under pressure. The finished sheets of papyrus could then be left as they were or glued together to form scrolls.
Palm leaf manuscripts date as early as the 5th century BCE. To create the writing surface, individual leaflets of large palm fronds were cut into uniform rectangles and then dried. Text was inscribed into each leaf with a sharp style. To help make the text more visible, the leaves were rubbed with a mixture of lampblack, bean plant or berry juice, and aromatic oils typically chosen for their insect repellant qualities. Leaves could be bound together by threading cords through two holes in each leaf.
Papyrus fragments from the Book of the Dead, ca. 1500 BCE .
The Book of the Dead was an Egyptian funerary text containing spells to shepherd the dead through the underworld and into the afterlife.
Cyperus papyrus L. (Papyrus)
On loan from the L.H. Bailey Hortorium Herbarium.
Illustrated tale. Indonesian palm leaf manuscript, undated.
Buddhist palm leaf manuscript concerning the six-tiered abode of celestial beings and 31 realms, undated.
According to Buddhist cosmology, the universe is divided into thirty-one realms or planes. Beings go through many cycles of reincarnation, and depending on their karma from past lives, are reborn into a higher or lower plane. The highest realms of rebirth are the six heavenly planes – the home to devas, celestial beings or gods.
Corypha umbraculifera L. (Talipot palm)
On loan from the L.H. Bailey Hortorium Herbarium.