Course:LIBR548F/2009WT1/Scroll and Codex

Introduction

Immediately preceding the advent of the printing press and the mass production of books, books existed primarily in two distinct forms: the scroll and then the codex. The scroll was the predominant form of the book during antiquity and continued to be commonly used until approximately the 4th century.

The transition from scroll to codex as the primary vehicle used to record the written word was particularly evident in the western world, as this transition was influenced by the rise of the Christian Church. For this reason, the following article will focus on the scroll and the codex as they existed in the western world.

The Scroll

A scroll is a rolled sheet(s) of leather, papyrus, or paper that has been used to record written information. Rolled scrolls were the common method by which to record information in the classical world. The earliest known scroll contains Egyptian hieratic script and dates from approximately 2500 BC.[1] Later, the scroll would become the most commonly used book format throughout the Graeco-Roman world. In the Roman period the term volumen (“roll”; from the latin volvere, “to roll”) was commonly used to mean book.

Description

Scrolls in the ancient world were commonly made from papyrus, although leather was occasionally used for significant religious, political or other official documents. Ancient scrolls were typically about 4-5 m. long, although size did vary a great deal depending on the purpose of the scroll. Longer scrolls were often used to record significant religious texts or commemorate political or official events. The longest surviving scroll, for example, is 40m. long and was likely created to commemorate the actions of Ramses III (Great Harris Papyrus, British Museum).

Usually only one side of the scroll was written on so that the exterior of the roll was left blank. In many Graeco-Roman papyrus scrolls the side that was written on was the recto; the side that had fibers running in the horizontal direction. Some rolls, which were often intended for private use, had writing on the verso; the side of the papyrus where fibers ran vertically (Opistographs).[2]

To help the user read the scroll a roll rod (umbilīcus or cornua) was used, which was placed in the middle of the roll with one or two handles projecting at either end of the scroll. Roll rods were commonly made of wood, although ivory, ebony or gold rods were sometimes used with higher quality scrolls. Some scrolls had two rods, one attached to the beginning of the roll and the other at the end and they met together when the scroll was closed.

Scrolls were typically read using two hands; one to hold the scroll itself, while the other pulled the scroll out to read the text. The most common information to be recorded on scrolls was textual, although occasionally images accompanied text. Text was typically recorded in the shape of horizontal columns placed side by side in sequential order. Columns tended to be narrow (approx. 2-4 inches) and placed close together (.5 inch) to prevent the reader from having to roll out unnecessary lengths of scroll to read the desired material. Text was written on the scroll from left to right or from right to left depending on the language of the document.

Scrolls were often identified at the end of the text (colophon), which would only be visible when the scroll had been unrolled. Often a tag (titulus) was attached to the outside of the scroll, so material could be identified when rolled up.

The Codex

Codex is a term used to refer to the book in its modern form: a book consisting of a “collection of leaves folded in two and grouped in one or more small fascicles or quires, formed usually of four sheets folded in two, or eight leaves. These quires were then sewn together along the fold and joined to the binding”.[3]

The codex first appeared in approximately the 1st century and became the common form of the book from approximately the 4th century onward. The earliest codices retained the same columnar arrangement of text as the scroll and were comprised of three to four columns per page. Codices were typically made of parchment, although papyrus was also used. Parchment lends itself better to this particular form because the sheets were typically made in a large size, which made it easier to fold. Papyrus was problematic for use in a codex because the sheets were often not large enough to be folded more than once, which meant that a papyrus codex had to be formed from a number of single sheet quires. The early codex varied in terms of its size and shape because they often consisted of multiple works. Often, smaller fragments were added to existing codices by rebinding the whole item.

Benefits of the Codex

The shape of the codex proved easier to use primarily because the bound edge allowed for ease of browsing and allowed readers to find particular passages quickly. It also allowed for the ease of movement between one part of the text and another. It is very difficult to move backward in the text of a scroll and locating a particular passage is equally as difficult. Indeed, the codex was portable in a way that the scroll was not. In addition, the codex allowed for text to be written on both sides of each page, which proved more cost effective. The bindings of a codex provided an area to easily identify the work without damaging the pages. In addition to providing identification, bindings also provided protection for the pages themselves from external elements.

The Transition from Scroll to Codex

Although the codex first appeared during the 1st century, the use of the scroll continued for the subsequent 300 years. It was not until the 4th century and the rise of Christianity that the scroll began to be replaced by the codex. The codex was adopted by the early Church as a book form in order to distinguish Christian texts from others. The adoption of the codex was also in response to the demand to produce a book that contained all of the Scriptures in a single volume.[4] Of course, the scroll did not vanish completely and it became more commonly used for official records and contracts. The adoption of the codex by the Christian community, no doubt, contributed to the increased use of the form. However, the practical benefits of the codex likely also contributed to its increased use.

References

[1] Aldren Watson, Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction (New York: Reinhold, 1963), 9.

[2] David Diringer, The Hand-Produced Book (London: Hutchinson's Scientific and Technical Publications, 1953), 138.

[3] Françoise Gasparri, Philippe Hoffmann, "codex, codicology" Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. Ed. André Vauchez. © 2001 by James Clarke and Co.. Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages: (e-reference edition). Oxford University Press. University of British Columbia. 26 September 2009 [1]

[4] Frederic G. Keynon, Books and Readers in Ancient Greece and Rome(Oxford: Clarendon, 1951), 40.

Recommended Sources

Diringer, David. The Hand-Produced Book. London, New York: Hutchinson’s Scientific and Technical Publications, 1953.

The author provides an extensive survey of early book forms, from clay tablets to manuscripts. Early forms of writing are also discussed at length in addition to specific writing support materials.

Kenyon, Frederic G. Books and Readers in Ancient Greece and Rome. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1951.

Kenyon, a leading authority on ancient books and writing materials, discusses the ancient roll and the codex. Specific detail is provided about physical descriptions such as materials, dimensions, script etc.

Roberts, Colin H. and T.C. Skeat. The Birth of the Codex. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983.

Roberts and Skeat provide a thorough discussion of the historical context surrounding the birth of the codex as well as physical details about early codices, other early book forms and early writing material.