The Batak people, an ethnic group residing in North Sumatra (Indonesia), in the past produced written artefacts using several organic materials as writing support, including tree bark, bamboo, and bone. The British Library holds a relatively small but significant collection of 37 Batak manuscripts, including the earliest Batak manuscript acquired (in 1764), donated by Alexander Hall. The collection is actually one of the oldest Batak manuscript collections in a public institution.
In collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at Universität Hamburg, this collection of Batak manuscripts has been digitised and is being made accessible through the British Library’s Digitised Manuscripts portal.
Please join us in celebrating the official launch of the new online collection that will stimulate the study of this remarkable manuscript culture.
