Leaf-Friendly Alphabets 🍃✍️

The curly letters of languages like Balinese, Thai, and Telugu may have been designed to be written on leaves. The unique curves in these scripts help preserve the delicate leaves, preventing them from splitting when written on. Palm leaf manuscripts are an ancient form of writing and preserving texts, predominantly found in South and Southeast Asia. They were made from the leaves of the Palmyra palm or other suitable palm species. The process of creating palm leaf manuscripts involves several steps: Selection and preparation of leaves: Mature leaves were carefully chosen for their size, quality, and lack of blemishes. The leaves were then cleaned, dried, and sometimes boiled to make them more flexible and durable. Cutting and trimming: The leaves were cut into uniform sizes and trimmed to ensure straight edges. The length and width of the leaves varied, depending on regional preferences and the intended use of the manuscript. Curing and polishing: The prepared leaves were then cured, typically by exposing them to smoke, which helped to prevent insect damage and decay. After curing, the leaves were polished using a smooth stone or other polishing tools to create a smooth surface for writing. Writing: The text was inscribed on the leaves using a stylus, usually made of metal, bone, or wood. The stylus was used to etch the characters, making slight incisions in the leaf’s surface. The writing systems used often featured curved lines, as angular letters could cause the leaf to split. Ink application: To make the writing more visible, a mixture of soot or charcoal and oil was rubbed onto the leaf’s surface, filling the incisions made by the stylus. Excess ink was wiped away, leaving the characters clearly visible. Binding: Holes were made along the spine of the leaves, and they were strung together using a thread or thin cord. The manuscript was often bound between wooden boards for protection.