ARCHIVE OF WATERMARKS AND PAPERS IN GREEK MANUSCRIPTS

Produced by Robert W. Allison
Assoc. Prof of Religion, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine and
Research Fellow Ektaktikos of the Patriarchal Institute for Patristic Studies, Thessaloniki
© 1996 Robert W. Allison. All rights reserved.

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Introduction to the Database of Paper Descriptions

The Paper Descriptions Database is now functional and paper descriptions from the Philotheou Project are currently being entered into it. Until all of the descriptions are entered, your searches will in many cases not turn up "hits," even though the watermarks listed in the search form are indeed already available in the Archive of Watermark Prints. Until all descriptions are entered, persons in need of paper descriptions for any of the watermarks found in this archive are invited to contact Robert Allison at the address at the end of this page. Go to the Archive of Watermark Images

Contents of this Introduction to the Database of Paper Descriptions

Purpose of the Database

Function of the Database

Method for Description of Watermarks & Papertypes

List of the 10 Elements of Description of Paper

Explanations of Elements of Description

Watermark Name

Watermark Description

Countermark Name

Wire/Chainlines Description

Paper Thickness

Paper Surface & Texture Description

Stiffness of Paper

Date of Paper

References to Watermark Publications

Notes

Purpose of the Database

The Database of Paper Descriptions is an interactive descriptive catalog of papers. It includes for each paper in the Watermark Archive the data to generate a systematically organized description of the watermark(s) and physical traits of that paper. This data enables you to confirm matches of paper suggested by the watermarks. It is the primary database searched by anyone seeking matches for papers discovered in Greek manuscripts.

The purpose of this page is to introduce the user to the function, structure and content of this database of paper descriptions, and to state the rationale for the elements of description included in this database.

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The Function of the Database of Paper Descriptions

Researchers use the Watermark Archive's search form to search for papers in this Archive whose watermark design and physical traits correspond to those of the paper being researched. The search yields a printout listing the papers which match the description submitted in the query and the names of their watermarks. The reader can then click on any paper identification to view the capsule description of that paper. In the paper description is included identification of the watermark design in the form of an active link. Clicking on the link will bring to the computer screen an image of the watermark print or tracing, which can be studied on the screen or downloaded as needed.

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Method for Description of Watermarks and Papertypes

Paper descriptions consist of a paper identification number (based on the manuscript identification and a paper reference number), a partial manuscript description (including those elements of description needed to help identify the paper, plus information about the scribe and provenance of the manuscript), and 10 elements of paper description listed below. The data base also includes the name of the person(s) who contributed the information for purposes of giving credit. Persons submitting new images and descriptions will be cued to provide data for these elements of description in the Form for Input of Paper Descriptions. This form enables you, wherever possible, to describe a paper by selecting from a list of predetermined standardized descriptors. If none of the standardized descriptors are appropriate, you may enter your own descriptors in boxes provided on the form. Such new descriptors will be added to the standardized terminology of the Watermark Archive. Standardized descriptors in turn become standardized key-words in the search process, enhancing the liklihood of success in searches for matching papers. The query form for searches corresponds to the Form for Description of Paper by which you input new descriptions into the Archive. You may compare the search form and the paper description input form to see how the two relate to each other.

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List of the Ten Elements of Description of Paper:

Watermark Design
Countermark Name
Watermark description (dimensions & position)
Wire & Chain lines description
Paper thickness
Paper surface (color & texture)
Stiffness of paper
Date of paper
References to published watermarks
Optional Additional Notes

Descriptive terminology used in the catalog is standardized wherever possible in order to provide "key words" which in turn may be used to conduct searches for watermarks with similar features. Searches may be done for any one or several of these elements of description by entering these terms in the appropriate categories of the Search Form. You might search, for example, for (watermark name) "Anchor in circle", (watermark description) "45x30 mm," (watermark position) "on a supplemental chain line," and (paper surface) "glazed," simply by entering or selecting these terms in the boxes which appear under the pertinent "Elements of Paper Description" on the Search Form.

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Explanations of Elements of Description

A. Paper Identification (Reference Number)

At the head of each description of paper is the Paper Identification. Each type of paper is identified by a number consisting of the official manuscript identification followed by a comma and the number of the paper type. If Athos, Philotheou Cod. 25 has 6 types of paper in it, they will be identified as Athos, Phil. 25,1 through 25,6. Identification of codices by place and number follows the conventions of the Bulletin Codicologique .

This method of identifying watermarks represents a break from the method used in traditional printed catalogs of watermarks, where watermarks are classified by watermark design plus an arbitrary number. If this archive were to be constructed on that model, each new example of a paper entered into the database would have to undergo analysis to see if it was a new paper, or another example of a paper previously entered into the database, in order to be classified under the same arbitrary number. In the case of an electronic database, however, this grouping of like papers is accomplished automatically by the person conducting the search, so that it is no longer necessary to do this kind of work for every watermark entered into the database. The arbitrary reference number has therefore been replaced by an identification based on the codex or document in which the paper occurs. This method allows for coordination, moreover, with descriptive manuscript catalogs in which papers and watermarks are identified.

ASIDE: As this database grows, each search for a matching paper by a scholar using this database is likely to produce information regarding the history of that particular type of paper. Scholars interested in the history of particular papers will benefit from the search capabilities inherent in this electronic medium.

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1. Watermark Name

standard descriptive terms as found in Briquet or Mosin-Traljic are used in this catalog, such as:

Anchor, in circle
Cross
Tetrafoil
Head, human

The description submission form and the search form allow for separate entry of the basic watermark design, and supplemental features of the design, including such changeable elements as monograms, and design elements added above or below the watermark. This means that it is possible to search for a watermark by its secondary features as well as by the basic design. This feature of watermark searching can be useful when only a partial watermark is preserved in the paper sample being researched.

A complete list of watermark names included in the papers of the codices of Philotheou Monastery is maintained as part of this introduction.

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2. Countermark Name

As with watermark motifs, standard descriptive terms as found in Briquet or Mosin-Traljic are used in this catalog, such as:

Letters PB
Trefoil
Crest

Countermark motifs are included in the pull down list in both the description submission form and the search form, and in the complete list of watermark names from the Philotheou codices, which is maintained as part of the Guide to the Watermark Archive.

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3. Watermark Description

Watermark description includes dimensions in millimeters and position of the watermark relative to the chain lines.

Watermark dimensions are given in the form 60 x 102 mm., vertical first. (Because it is not clear for some watermarks which axis of the design is the vertical one, vertical is defined as the axis aligned with the chain lines.) Of course, a search for both dimensions regardless of sequence will still yield a list which will include any potentially matching watermarks.)

Watermark position relative to the chain lines is indicated by selecting from a list of standard descriptive terms included in the Form for Descriptions of Paper Types. Use of standard descriptive terminology makes this a particularly useful searching device.

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4. Wire/Chain lines description

Description of wire and chain lines is stated in full in the paper descriptions in a form that is self-explanatory.

04. Wire/Chainline description: Density of Wirelines: 26 mm. for 20 wirelines. (style: thin wirelines) Chainline Interval(s): / 50 mm.

Note that the description of the style of the wirelines utilizes standardized terminology and thus makes a good criterion for a search.

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5. Paper thickness

Paper thickness is described on a subjective and relative scale as follows:

thin
medium thin
medium
medium thick
thick

"Very thin" and "very thick" are reserved for extremes.

The subjectivity of this descriptor means that it is not very useful for searching. Its use lies, rather, in verifying potential matches from lists of possible paper matches that have been generated by using other search parameters. | Return to Contents of this Page | Return to Paragraph on Method | Return to List of Elements of Description

6. Paper surface and texture description

This description is made by selecting from a list of standard descriptive terms included in the Form for Descriptions of Paper Types. The same descriptors recur on the search form. Use of standard descriptive terminology makes this a useful searching device when the surface features are a pronounced trait of the paper. Typical descriptors include the following:

smooth
matte
fuzzy
patina
glazed
bumpy
dark fibres visible in paper
wire lines visible in surface of paper

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7. Stiffness of paper

This description is made by selecting from a list of standard descriptive terms included in the Form for Descriptions of Paper Types. The same descriptors recur on the search form. Although the terms involve a considerable degree of subjectivity, use of standard descriptive terminology makes this a useful searching device when these features are a pronounced trait of the paper. Otherwise, these descriptors are useful mostly for corroborating paper matches made on the basis of other criteria. Typical descriptors include:

stiff
crisp
supple
limp
fiber-network disintegration

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8. Date

The Form for Descriptions of Paper Types and the search form take advantage of the fact that the asterisk serves as a "wild card." You may search

by century by entering 14** (i.e., every year from 1400 - 1499)

by decade by entering 142* (i.e., every year from 1420 - 1429)

by a range of decades by entering 142* - 143* (= every year from 1420-1439)

This feature of the search procedure means that if you know or have a guess for the date of use of a paper, you can limit the search to papers in the data base falling within a reasonable period of time before and after the known paper.

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9. References to Watermark Publications

References to watermarks published in watermark catalogs may be included when identifications have been established. The Form for Descriptions of Paper Types provides entries in a pull-down list from which you can select the desired source, and a blank in which you can enter the watermark reference number. If your source is not listed, you are cued to enter a full bibliographical listing for your source, which will then be added to the Bibliographical Database. Paper descriptions in the archive include an abbreviated identification of the source followed by the watermark reference number or page number:

Briquet 2309-2313

You may then look up the source abbreviation, if it is not known to you, in the Bibliographical Database.

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10. Notes

The Notes section is for mention of special circumstances affecting the paper, such as severe acid deterioration, severe water stains, information to help the user locate very faint watermarks which do not show up clearly in the print, etc. This information can be useful for corroboration of paper matches, but is less likely to be useful for conducting searches.

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Created by Robert W. Allison
Dept. of Philosophy & Religion, Bates College
Lewiston, Maine 04240

Updated SEPTEMBER 28, 1996

http://www.bates.edu/Faculty/wmarchive/INTRO_papers.html