Manuscript Research Articles

Assessing ancient manuscript conservation practices: A case study on local content preservation at the North Sumatra State Museum

Assessing ancient manuscript conservation practices: A case study on local content preservation at the North Sumatra State Museum

The Practice of Islamic Traditions among the Bugis in Bali

This study aims to explore the practice of the grave pilgrimage tradition in the Suwung Village, Denpasar, using qualitative methods. Interviews, observations, and document studies were conducted to gather data directly from the Bugis community during the grave pilgrimage. The results of the study show that the majority Hindu Balinese community can accept the Bugis migrants, who are Muslims, to express Islamic traditions in Bali. This expression of Islamic religious tradition is marked by the existence of ancient Islamic manuscripts in Muslim villages, one of which is the Bugis Suwung Village in Denpasar. Specifically, the traditions that are unique in this village are the tradition of Ngeruwah (praying for the spirits of ancestors before the arrival of the month of Ramadan), the tradition of Pagelicing Qur’an (parading the Qur’an), and the tradition of grave pilgrimage. However, the tradition of parading the Qur’an has not been practised since the 1970s. This was done because the tradition was feared to be cultised by the Muslim community in the region.

Ancient Translations and Reviews of the Holy Scriptures in The Greek Language. Contribution to the History of Biblical Translations

The article offers a scholarly overview of the historical translations and reviews of the Bible from Greek sources. It lists the historical ancient manuscript translations that have become widely accepted canonical models, known as the “Biblical canon” in the translations of the Holy Scriptures. The tradition of these translations is with extremely wide boundaries in chronological and linguistic terms is of interest for understanding the origin and semantics of the modern Synodal translation of the Bible.

Tradition Of Script Recognition And The Distinctions Of Imtiaz Ali Arshi

When after traveling a long distance the human civilization on earth reaches the first rung of the ladder of enlightenment it aspires to harness the power of nature and the strong desire to pass on the experiences, mental and intellectual capital to the next generations becomes strong. The possible answer to which is searched in shapes and appearances. It is this image, the appearance, the painting which makes writing a top priority for a civilized world. Letter writing enjoys much importance in the East. Like other languages with the name of Urdu language there comes in the mind the image of a script. This is the language which is written in Persian script. Persian script is not only its essential factor but it is also its life blood. In view of the requirements of their language Urdu literary giants have been making many changes. The Persian book writers aromatized the garden of letter writing with the smell of aesthetic sense. Letter recognition is a knowledge. Its popularity in Europe is less in comparison to that in the East. Excavation and its related research came into vogue. The researchers have started making attempts to read engravings on various buildings and to know about the mutual relation between different scripts. There are various writings on Egyptian oak, dry clay and fine membranes, in the ancient times. Organization of all this information led to the founding a new art of letter recognition. In Urdu also, the experts of this art accessed these sciences by recognizing ancient manuscripts. In the field of script recognition, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Hafiz Muhammad Sheerani, Hafiz Abdul Wadood and Dr.Waheed Qureshi are valuable personalities. Imtiaz Ali Khan Arshi is another name in the field of Script recognition who enjoys unique identity in this field. This study aims at resuscitating the dying tradition of script recognition and with the guidance of the script recognizers like Imtiaz Ali in crossing its milestone of school of thought with his guidance to smooth the way for future compilers and script recognizers.

DEVOTIONAL POETRY IN TECHNICAL MANUSCRIPT TERMINOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ROSE GARDEN OF PURITY (GOLZĀR-E ṢAFĀ)

Among the wide variety of Persian manuscript categories, there is a distinctive genre that includes recipes on materials and technics of manuscript production. And within this genre, we come across distinctly interesting works that adopt charming romantic poetry to record subjects that are rather dull, dry, and unattractive to the general audience! One of such historical sources is a sixteenth century manuscript entitled Rose Garden of Purity (Golzār-e Ṣafā) by ʿAlī Ṣayrafī, preserved in Paris Central Library. The subject of this research is the manuscript’s impressive Preface in which the poet expresses his sincere devotion to his Creator, and begs for forgiveness – all in melodious poetic language, using technical manuscript terms, colors and pigments as symbols and metaphors. The essay provides an opening remark entitled ‘Manuscripts on Manuscript Production’ followed by and introduction to the manuscript of ‘Golzār-e Ṣafā (Rose Garden of Purity). The little knowledge extracted about ʿAlī Ṣayrafī from the manuscript is shared under ‘The Author-cum-Poet.’ ‘Preface with 12 Couplets’ is the focal point of the essay; there the 12 couplets (24 hemistiches) are presented in the original language (Farsi/Persian) along with an English translation that is published here for the first time. A detailed analysis of technical terms used in the Preface, and an elaboration of their symbolic significance, is presented under ‘Expression of Devotion in Technical Manuscript Vocabulary.’

Penentuan Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) minyak atsiri Acorus calamus terhadap Aspergillus flavus

Balinese lontar manuscripts are documentation of past Balinese culture. The main component of palm leaves is cellulose. Efforts to prevent damage to lontar manuscripts from cellulose-degrading fungi such as Aspergillus flavus are needed to maintain Balinese local wisdom. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Minimum Inhibitory Concentratiton (MIC) value of jangu leaf essential oil (Acorus calamus) in inhibiting the growth of A. flavus in vitro. The results obtained were the optimum concentration of A. calamus essential oil at 5% (v/v), with an average inhibition zone diameter of 11.72 mm (strong category). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of jangu leaf essential oil in inhibiting A. flavus is 2% v/v with an average inhibition zone diameter of 7.08 mm. This research opens new insights in the conservation of Balinese ancient manuscripts from damage caused by cellulose-degrading fungi, by utilizing the essential oil of local Balinese plants, namely jangu leaf (A. calamus).

Convolutional Autoencoder for Reconstruction of Historical Document Images: Ancient Manuscript Babad Lombok

The Babad Lombok is an ancient literary or manuscripts document that generally contains stories about the origins of the people of Lombok. This document is written on a lontar leaf, which in the past was used to write manuscripts, letters, and documents. At present, the Babad Lombok document can be seen in the form of photos or scans, so it can be viewed without having to go to a museum or cultural heritage site where the document is usually exhibited. However, because this document is an ancient artifact that has been around for hundreds of years, it has naturally experienced fading in the original document or its scanned versions. This makes the text inside less clear. This paper proposes to automatically reconstruct/repair the Babad Lombok document using a neural network. The type of neural network used is an Autoencoder or Convolutional Autoencoder (CAE). The CAE model is built sequentially and trained using original images of Babad Lombok as its training data and manually corrected images of Babad Lombok as the target or ground truth data. In the process, the two types of data are iteratively cropped to a size of 64x64 along the original size of the Babad Lombok image. This process results in input and target data for the CAE training process in this research, each consisting of 48,288 images. Testing the trained autoencoder model shows that the Babad images have been successfully repaired, making the text quality clearer before reconstruction. Ultimately, the proposed CAE has achieved training and validation accuracies of 89.09% and 94.57%, with corresponding loss values of 0.0418 and 0.0226.

A Walk in the Night with Zhuangzi: Musings on an Ancient Chinese Manuscript

A Walk in the Night with Zhuangzi: Musings on an Ancient Chinese Manuscript

Understanding Harmony: Human-Nature Relationships in the Huangdi Neijing

The Huangdi Neijing, revered as a foundational text in traditional Chinese medicine, represents an extensive compendium of knowledge attributed to the legendary Yellow Emperor, Huangdi. This ancient manuscript, which consists of two parts, the Suwen, and the Lingshu, is central to the medical practices developed over millennia in East Asia. It profoundly explores health's physiological and metaphysical dimensions, emphasizing the interdependent relationship between human beings and the natural environment. This article investigates how Neijing conceptualizes this relationship, using the yin-yang and the Five Elements frameworks to articulate a dynamic balance influenced by environmental factors. The investigation is framed through the microcosm-macrocosm paradigm, which posits that human health reflects the broader cosmic and ecological order. The findings highlight the historical significance of the Neijing and its contemporary relevance. By bridging ancient wisdom with modern health challenges, this analysis underscores the potential of these traditional principles to enhance modern holistic health practices and influence environmental policies, thus supporting broader societal and ecological well-being.

Analysis of Aspergillus niger isolated from ancient palm leaf manuscripts and its deterioration mechanisms

Palm leaf manuscripts (PLMs), venerable historical artefacts containing Buddhist scriptures, history, mathematics and literature, which are carried by palm leaves (Corypha umbraculifera) and are highly susceptible to microbial degradation during prolonged storage. This degradation results in significant alterations to both the appearance and material properties of PLMs, but the precise mechanism underlying this deterioration remains a mystery. To this end, the present study focused on ancient PLMs from Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, China. The objective of present study was to isolate, culture and identify the microorganisms typically found in these manuscripts and to use them to biodegrade the carriers of PLMs. Detailed observations of the biodegradation behavior of these microorganisms on the carriers of PLMs were carried out, together with characterizations of the hierarchical structure and mechanical properties of the leaf fiber cell walls. This comprehensive analysis provided insights into the deterioration mechanisms of the carriers of PLMs. The study revealed the presence of the common fungus Aspergillus niger on ancient PLMs. Aspergillus niger can secrete cellulase, lipase, and acidic substances after colonizing on the carriers of PLMs. These substances sequentially damage the carrier's epidermal cells, mesophyll cells, and leaf fibers, leading to the separation of different tissue structures. At the molecular level, the lipids on the surface of the leaves were degraded initially, and sequential depolymerization of hemicellulose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose occurred. Additionally, this study firstly applied nanoindentation technology in the research of PLMs. The mechanical properties of the cell walls underwent notable alterations due to the modifications in chemical and crystalline structure of the carriers of PLMs upon the biodegradation of Aspergillus niger. Specifically, the hardness and elastic modulus of leaf fiber cell walls showed an initial increasing and then decreasing trend, consistent with the trend of cellulose crystallinity, which also provided a new reference for assessing the degree of deterioration of PLMs.

Deep learning for ancient scripts recognition: A CapsNet-LSTM based approach

Efficient character recognition in ancient handwritten Devanagari documents is crucial for societal advancements. Challenges such as overlapping characters, missing headlines, and over-inked stains further complicate the recognition process. In response, we propose a Capsule Network (CapsNet) with LSTM to address hierarchical temporal dependencies in Devanagari scripts, following initial implementation of a simple CNN. We also explored a combined CNN+LSTM architecture for character recognition, leveraging CNN’s feature extraction capabilities with LSTM’s sequential modeling to handle temporal dependencies in Devanagari scripts. Our experimentation involved a dataset of 10,825 characters from ancient Devanagari manuscripts, encompassing basic characters, modifiers, and conjuncts, classified into 399 classes. Testing various training–testing ratios (9:1, 8:2, and 7:3), we visually and statistically evaluated the experimental data, demonstrating the superiority of CapsNet and LSTM in handling these challenges. We calculated recognition accuracy, precision, and recall values, with CapsNet achieving a maximum accuracy of 95.98% after 30 epochs. This research underscores the effectiveness of CapsNet and LSTM in advancing character recognition for ancient Devanagari manuscripts.

A Survey on Text-Line Segmentation in Arab Historical Manuscripts

The segmentation process entails dividing or decomposing the entire document image into segments. This operation serves as a fundamental step in developing any writing or optical character recognition system. However, numerous existing segmentation schemes encounter challenges when dealing with specific script styles, like ancient or historical Arabic writing found in ancient manuscripts, which possesses unique characteristics. These characteristics include inclined text lines, overlapping letters, diacritic marks, decorative elements, variable letter forms, and ligatures (combinations of two or more letters merged to form a single connected shape). Thus, in this paper, we present a thorough survey of the field. The survey is composed of two parts. The first section provides a concise overview of historical Arabic documents. The second, which serves as the primary section, focuses on the crucial step of handwritten document recognition, specifically segmentation. A detailed and systematic overview of various segmentation approaches at different levels for extracting handwritten Arabic text-lines is outlined, followed by a literature study analyzing proposed works in this area.

4D thermo-reflectography of cultural heritage. The Codex 4D project: From data acquisition to the implementation in innovative virtual and mixed reality platforms

In an effort to try and improve the dissemination of cultural heritage, in this paper a novel method for the four-dimensional (4D) digitization of artefacts, based on images recorded in the mid-wave infrared spectral range, is presented. Such a method is here applied to ancient manuscripts in the frame of the “Codex 4D: journey in four dimensions into the manuscript” project. In the proposed approach, the three-dimensional geometry of the manuscript is reconstructed by processing the reflectographic images, obtained from different points of view with respect to the artefact, through Structure from Motion techniques. Thermograms obtained by means of Pulsed Thermography are also recorded since they provide a depth-resolved characterization of the artefact that is also integrated into the digital reconstruction along the orthogonal direction to the surface, hereafter referred to as the fourth dimension. The results gathered from humanities and scientific studies, are also mapped onto the 4D model in the form of interactive semantic annotations. The goal of such a reconstruction is to allow users to browse the subsurface elements into the 4D model, thus facilitating the study and the exploration of the manuscripts through the inclusion of information about their literary and art-historical contents, materials, execution techniques, and state of conservation. In addition, virtual and mixed reality environments have been developed for different kind of audience such as expert users and museum public. Despite the experimentation presented here was carried out exclusively on manuscripts, in our opinion the methodology can be successfully applied to other types of artefacts.

Kontribusi Artificial Intelligence (AI) pada Studi Al Quran di Era Digital; Peluang dan Tantangan

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is experiencing rapid development across various fields, including religious studies such as the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, which plays a central role in spiritual and moral life. This study aims to explore the opportunities for AI application in Qur'anic studies through a literature review by analyzing credible sources such as scientific journals, books, and online articles. The methodology employed includes the collection and analysis of literature related to the application of AI in the context of the Qur'an. The findings indicate that AI has significant potential to enhance the understanding and practice of the Qur'an through easier access to information, in-depth text analysis, personalized learning, interactive education, and the preservation of ancient manuscripts. These findings highlight the novelty in how AI can be used to enrich Qur'anic studies, particularly through text analysis and machine learning technologies. However, this study also identifies challenges and ethical issues that need to be addressed, such as interpretation accuracy and religious sensitivity. The contribution of this research lies in providing an initial framework for further exploration of how AI can be applied effectively and ethically in Qur'anic studies. Therefore, further research is needed to maximize the benefits of AI and minimize its risks, supporting the development of more modern and technologically integrated religious studies.

Ramuan dan Pengobatan Tradisional Pulau Penyengat untuk Sakit yang Berkaitan dengan Mata

The manuscript of Pengobatan Tradisional pada Masyarakat Pulau Penyengat (PTpMPP) contains various types of pain along with herbal ingredients, one of which is pain related to the eyes. The purpose of this study is to explain the study of ethnomedicine contained in the text of PTpMPP. The methods used are data collection, data processing, data analysis, and presentation of the results of data analysts. The data collection phase was carried out by field studies and literature studies. The data processing stage is carried out from the description of the manuscript, transliteration, and text editing. In studying its content, researchers used the theory of ethnomedicine. Studies that combine literature and ethnomedicine can provide a better understanding of how language, culture and narrative shape medical perceptions and practices in a given society. In addition, it can help improve interdisciplinary understanding of the human complexity of understanding and addressing health issues because literary works, particularly ancient texts, can reflect and shape the traditional medical knowledge and practices of different cultures. This makes it possible to understand health and medicine in a broader and more complex cultural context. Therefore, ethnomedicine is used to reveal the kinds and functions of medicinal plants used and the treatment methods contained in ancient manuscripts. The source of the data used is PTpMPP manuscript with Jawi script and Malay script, stored in Yayasan Inderasakti, Pulau Penyengat. The results of this study explain the eight causes of pain related to the eyes, namely injured eyes, eye pain (ordinary), blurred eyes, growing eyes, meat eye pain, restung eye pain, swollen eyes, and eyes for prohibition. The medical practice of treating the eight diseases belongs to the naturalistic medical system and each disease has its own herbal ingredients.

Tantangan utama preservasi naskah kuno berbasis digitisasi

Introduction. This research aims to determine the main challenges in preserving ancient manuscripts based on digitization. Research methods. This study used descriptive qualitative method. Data was obtained through literature studies based on scientific works published from 2013 to 2023. A total of 76 scientific works consisting of theses, national and international journals were obtained from the Google Scholar database with the keywords Naskah Kuno”, “Pelestarian Naskah Kuno”, “digitisasi naskah kuno.” Meanwhile in English it is like "Ancient Manuscripts, Preservation of Ancient Manuscripts, and digitization of ancient manuscripts. Results and Discussion. Digitized preservation of ancient manuscripts requires careful budget planning and there must be a third party willing to sponsor it on an ongoing basis. Human resources working in the field of ancient manuscript preservation must understand the factors that cause damage to ancient manuscripts; not phobic of technology; awareness to learn about the use of technology; and ready to improve technology skills. The results of digitizing ancient manuscripts are guaranteed to be accessible in their entirety as mandated by law. Avoiding technological obsolescence requires paying attention to the age of the media so that there is a guarantee of long-term use. Conclusion. This study shows five main challenges in the process of digitizing ancient manuscript preservation, including aspects of budget, policy, human resources, accessibility and technological obsolescence. In the future, preserving ancient manuscripts through digitization must focus on these five aspects, because they are interrelated.

Preservasi naskah kuno Gandoang melalui kegiatan digitisasi

Introduction. Ancient manuscripts are one of the nation's many cultural heritages with historical significance. As a result, conservation measures must be implemented, one of which is the transfer of digital media. The purpose of this study is to learn about the efforts made to transfer Gandoang ancient manuscripts to Ciamis. Data Collection Methods. This study employs a qualitative case study approach, with data collected through observation techniques and semi-structured interviews with three informants. Data Analysis. Through Miles and Hubberman data analysis techniques; researchers organize, organize, and categorize them. Result and Discussion. The findings of this study indicate that, as part of the management's effort to preserve the Gandoang ancient manuscripts in collaboration with Tapak Karuhun Nusantara Foundation, converting them into a digital form into an e-book can be considered effective and efficient. The ancient manuscripts in this fragile state can now be preserved, allowing their existence to be used for a long time. Conclusion. Because of the internet, which allows everyone to read it wherever and whenever they want, the Gandoang e-book has proven to be more popular in the public. However, many ancient manuscripts in the Ciamis still require the attention of various parties due to their endangered state.

Preserving Cultural Heritage Through a Traditional Ritual: A Case of Kabuyutan Ciburuy

The Seba ceremony in Kabuyutan Ciburuy is a tradition of preserving cultural heritage that has been carried out for generations. Currently, Kabuyutan Ciburuy is no longer actively used as an educational institution, nor are the contents of its ancient manuscripts used as a reference for the development of science. For this reason, this research tries to dissect why this happens. This research uses a qualitative research method which is believed to be a scalpel in research, thereby helping to explain the research object factually. The research step is to carry out participant observation, the researcher actively participates in the activities being researched. Also hold interviews with local cultural figures either formally or informally. The result of this research is a descriptive explanation of the Seba Ceremony as an effort to preserve cultural heritage. Because heirlooms refer to educational activities, such as the discovery of many manuscripts, one of which contains advice on old Sundanese character and ethics. This has become a high level of cultural wealth by continuing to carry out the Seba ceremony as a form of preservation so that it remains alive and relevant for future generations. Keywords: Seba Ceremony, Ciburuy District, Preservation, Cultural Heritage

علم رسم مصاحف الأمصار وانعكاسه على المخطوطات القرآنية القديمة

This brief study examines the science of Quranic script derived from the manuscripts of various regions, starting from the systematic work undertaken by the Rightly Guided Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) until it matured into a well-established discipline. It explores how this science influenced ancient Quranic manuscripts and aims to elucidate the technical and scientific specifications of the Quranic scripts from different regions and their impact on ancient manuscripts. The study is organized into three sections, preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion and results. The analytical method was employed to present its issues. The study reached significant conclusions, including that the books on Quranic script are considered reliable references in describing the scriptural phenomena of regional Quranic manuscripts and are the primary sources for judging the characteristics of ancient Quranic manuscripts.

Cultural and Linguistic Specifics of a 19th Century Manuscript from the National Library “Ivan Vazov” in Plovdiv

The present article explores a short Bulgarian manuscript preserved in the National Library “Ivan Vazov”. It dates back to the early 1830s and contains 12 pages. Eleven of them are written in Turkish with Cyrillic script and includes over 100 Turkish prov-erbs. The last 12th page contains a marginal note that is written in Bulgarian. The manuscript precedes the appearance of the first editions of printed books in Turkish with Cyrillic script in the early 1840s and is one of the earliest written representations of 19th century Bulgarian-Turkish bilingualism. Several problems are addressed in the article – the authorship and exact date of the manuscript, the specifics of the lan-guage, structure and content of proverbs.