AIC's 51st Annual Meeting

When an exceptionally fragile 16th-17th century Kashmiri birch bark codex from the Chapin Library at Williams College was brought to the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) for conservation and digitization, its contents were largely inaccessible. Each text leaf in the manuscript consisted of two to four layers of naturally and/or artificially laminated birch bark, and most leaves had moderate to severe delamination, creases, and loss. The leaves had long horizontal splits in the fore edge and sewing stations that made it impossible to open the text block without abrading vulnerable areas, and whole sections of the text block were crumpled, tangled, and interlocked together. Scholarly interest in both the unknown text and the understudied Kashmiri binding structure created a unique opportunity for a multidisciplinary project that integrated scientific analysis into the conservation and research process.

As a non-western binding structure rarely encountered by conservators in the United States, understanding the historical, cultural, and design aspects of the Kashmiri binding was an important part of creating an appropriate treatment plan. The task of recontextualizing this manuscript was of significant scholarly interest to The Book and the Silk Roads project, which also helped to coordinate the scientific analysis of the object. Radiocarbon dating established the age of the manuscript to approximately 1500-1640CE. Micro-CT scanning informed the conservation process by offering a rare chance to study the book’s internal structure and original condition even in areas not visible to the human eye without disturbing the historic binding. To further assist in the conservation process, a binding model was constructed based on a study of the manuscript and a thorough literature review was also conducted to ensure that the treatment plan was culturally, historically, and materially appropriate. Following conservation and digitization, images of the manuscript were sent to an expert in the Śāradā script, who was able to identify the text and assist the conservator in determining the exact locations of loose fragments of text. Some fragments were able to be reunited with the main body of the text and the remainder were housed in a complex custom encapsulated post binding.

This paper will discuss how a conservation treatment plan was designed and carried out to restore access to the manuscript, address the logistics of managing a project with multiple institutional partners across two countries, and highlight the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach to the care and treatment of manuscripts.