Systematization and Conservation of Palm Leaf Manuscripts by Scientific Integration in Buri Ram Province

Abstract

            This research aimed to conserve and systematize the palm leaf manuscript in five depositories in Buriram Province. The finding showed that Palm Leaf manuscript has been used for a long time, so the deterioration appears in different ways such as missing, decaying, brittle, torn leaves, traces of insect bites and fungi. As for the Palm manuscripts that were still in good condition, they were likely to be worn down every moment. The research showed the process of organizing and categorizing the palm leaf manuscript and integrating the scientific knowledge for the conservation of the Palm leaf manuscript according to the following academic principles: 1) the collection of all palm leaf manuscript in a temple or  surveyed place and examination of the preliminary  palm leaf manuscript to be surveyed. 2) Separating the complete bundle of the Palm manuscript from the broken Palm manuscript. 3) Arrangement of the missing palm manuscript to find a bundle that was the same set by bringing all the leaves of the palm leaf manuscript together in order to compare them to the same set of palm leaf manuscript. 4) conservation by cleaning by integrating scientific knowledge by wiping clean dirt of various stains, and when wiping clean were completed, wait for the alcohol to evaporate dry and then wipe with eucalyptus oil as the last step to restore the flexibility or toughness of the palm leaf to return some and also to help prevent insects from eating the palm leaves. 5) Recording the information of the palm leaf manuscript to make it known the number and title of the existing document, while other information included the name of the document, name of the scribe, category, condition, age, number of folio and colophon. 6) Wrapping and binding the palm leaf began at the corner or center of the fabric and continue to roll it, after a while, the corner of the fabric was collected, continue to roll after finishing the cloth, then take the cover to string and tie the palm leaf Script into 3 - 6 squares, according to the length of the palm leaf by the ancient tie by name "Tri Singhe". 7) Summarizing the systematic list of the palm leaf manuscript in order to provide a temple or place to deposit manuscript in the summarized document list of palm leaf manuscript including the title, category; character style, number of bundle, document style and condition of the palm leaf.

Keywords : Conservation, Systematizing ancient documents, Palm leaf manuscripts, Buriram Province