But rest assured, we can only say that our mission is accomplished only when the contents of the manuscripts can be exploited by all the researchers and all concerned. But first, they have to be translated into other languages. The challenge today remains the exploitation of these documents by a wide public. First in terms of discipline, but also in terms of domain, we have manuscripts that talk about corruption, good governance, conflict management, transformation of societies and so on ». These texts written by scholars from the ancient Mali empire include a wide variety of subjects.ĭr Abdoulkadri Idrissa Maïga, General Director Ahmed Baba Institute of Timbuktu If we ever lose a hard copy, we can use the electronic copy », says Abdel Kader Haïdara, Executive President SAVAMA-DCI NGO So we need to educate people so that they understand that digitization is an integral part of manuscript conservation. « There are some manuscript holders who totally disagree with digitization because they do not understand why digitization is done. Most manuscripts are held by families in Timbuktu. « The images are stored in the computer and after two or three days of work, the images are dumped on the external hard disk and then copied to the server » indicates Souleymane Diarra, Chief of Digitization Section The team scans between 500 and 600 images daily. Once this work is completed, they are paged, saved in the database and then forwarded to the scanning lab.Įach studio consists of a camera connected to a computer. It handles all the information concerning the manuscripts including their condition, title and author. A work that requires a lot of patience in view of their fragility.Īfter dust removal, special attention is given to cataloging.Ī section is dedicated to the classification of documents. explains Fousseni Kouyate, head of physical preservation of the manuscripts.Įxposed to various hazards, the manuscripts are first cleaned.
The boxes make it possible to prolong the life of the manuscripts ». « In the workshop boxes are made to protect the manuscripts against dust, moisture, heat and also against bad handling. Here, SAVAMA DCI, Safeguarding and Valorization of the Manuscripts for the Defense of Islamic Culture NGO, is one of the structures that restores and digitizes these ancient documents. This research was done to fulfil the requirements for the completion of the Master of Science Degree in Archives and Records Management with the University of Dundee in Scotland in 2015.Exfiltrated during the occupation of northern Mali in 2012 by the terrorists, the ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu regain a new breath in Bamako. The paper concludes by identifying the causes of unrest and indicates how archives can be vulnerable. Burning of heritage monuments, libraries, schools and destruction of other property has become a common occurrence during protest actions. In South Africa, demonstrations raged at institutions of higher learning and communities in 2017. The unpredictable nature of terrorism makes it difficult to prepare for it. No one has an answer to how preservation of heritage can be done amidst raging wars and terrorism. The reality that war has become the worst threat to archives and other cultural heritage must be acknowledged. The use of the Timbuktu manuscripts serves as the worst case scenario that can assist in the better understanding of the unique preservation challenges facing the documentary heritage in Africa and other developing countries.
ANCIENT TIMBUKTU MANUSCRIPTS ARCHIVE
The study examines the currently accepted international standards and practices used in the preservation of library and archive material and how these fare against the challenges faced by the ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu. Traditional methods of preservation have been employed in Timbuktu from the 13 th century which is why these manuscripts have survived till today. The paper will share my experiences working on Timbuktu’s ancient manuscripts and some of the findings in my Master of Science Degree in Archives and Records Management research titled “Preserving Ancient Manuscripts in Hostile Environments, with Reference to The Preservation of the Ancient Manuscripts of Timbuktu ”. This study seeks to discuss the preservation of archives with a focus on those that are constantly exposed to various threats such as the ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu, an ancient city found in the North of Mali in West Africa.
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