OCR Text |
Show PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND CONDITION The document is a leporello, or screen-fold, of 24 "folios", based on four strips of flexible tanned skin. The underlying skin is about 1.5mm. thick and of soft texture and grey colour where exposed. It apears to have been prepared by scraping, and smoking after it had been beaten and well rubbed with fat. This process is common among American Indian peoples, and results in a form of leather which is hard wearing and flexible. It has allowed the Codex to fold easily at the joints. At some points where the leather is exposed it is clear that the points of folding were carefully planned. The outer side of the fold shows two parallel vertical scores, made by a rounded point, perhaps a smoothed bone awl, which allow the edge to bend gently round the thickness of the two folios. The inner side of the fold has but a single scored groove which allows for compression. The length of the Codex is very close to 4 metres. The sum of the measured pages is 398.4 cms., but the document was laid flat and not stretched taut. The four skins composing it are joined by lap joints varying between 3 and 4 cms in width. The ends of the upper sheet are cut square at a join between folios, and reduced slightly in thickness. The inner sheet is brought up to this end, and the overlap is skived down so that there is only a very slight protruding edge at the end of the joint farthest from the junction of the page. The joints are very firm, and appear to have been cemented together. No stitch marks are visible. The codex is so arranged that the slight surface ridges left by the joints are all on the dorsal side, where also the cover skins are attached. The lengths of the three skins composing it are as follows: Skin I. 99.2 cms. Extending from Fol 1 to 6 inclusive. |