abu shibbak

Evidence

"abu shibbak a thick brown or cream-coloured paper"

Remarks

The glossary explicitly defines 'abu shibbak' as a thick brown or cream-coloured paper (p. 362). The text describes the Omani/East African provenance of the manuscript collection in the Zanzibar National Archives, noting that the earliest documents date from the late 1700s, while the latest date from the early twentieth century (p. 352). The collection includes about 800 manuscripts and 2,600 letters (p. 352, 354). A Sultanic printing press brought from Syria in 1879 also contributed to the production of text in Zanzibar (p. 351). Conservation and preservation are identified as major issues; manuscripts in private hands are 'in danger of rapid deterioration due to exposure to humidity and ants' (p. 357). Furthermore, it is noted that the conservation staff at the ZNA has not received updated training since the 1980s (p. 358).