Manuscripts on a birch-bark: problems of description and terminology
Experience of description of the manuscripts on a birch-bark, which were created in different regions, including Novgorod, Siberia, Northern India and Kashmir, during V-XX centuries is briefly review in this article. Different traditions of writing on a birch bark are compared. Some problems of terminology, usually appeared in the process of description are showed; description of a birch bark as a material for writhing, description of ink and method of writing and description of handwriting are among them. The characteristic features of genus of birch widespread in Siberia (Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh.) are describe. Terminology of biological science is offered for description of a birch bark as a material for writhing; color of birch bark, method of manufacture and other features are necessary to note in the process of description. Scale of colors, wide known in biological science, is easy-to-use in paleography. Two method of manufacture of a birch bark are notice: mechanical and chemical; birch bark also was used without any processing. Character and order of lenticels also are important. Two methods of writing are characterized: scratching and writing by ink. It seems, that scratching (used in Novgorod) is connected with function of manuscript: everyday manuscripts were scratched mainly. Paleographic signs, which necessary to notice in the process of description, are classified; possibility of using of those signs for date of manuscripts is under discussion.