Boards

In the <decoNote type="Boards">↗ you can specify using keywords the wood type (if known) and encode the presence of a textile inlay or of a mirror.

Cover

In the <decoNote type="Cover">↗ you can describe the covering of the binding. If it covers only the spine and the back edge of the boards use the @key quarterCover to encode it. The attribute @color is available and using keywords, you can record the presence of an additional leather patch and describe the blind-tooling decoration. It is useful to specify where the decoration is found (boards, edges, turn-ins, spine). Additional keywords are available to describe the aspect of turn-ins corners.

Sewing Stations

The <decoNote type="SewingStations">↗ requires to type a number, which has to be equal to the number of sewing stations (not to the number of pairs of sewing stations). The number of sewing stations corresponds to the number of holes in centerfold of a quire used for stitching, or the chain-stiched "rows" that can be seen on the spine of the codex. Thus, one pair of sewing stations corresponds to 2 sewing stations and two pairs of sewing stations corresponds (most of the times) to 4 sewing stations. It is important to encode the number of sewing stations because, even if less common, the structure with 3 sewing stations is a structure on two paired sewing stations (the one in the middle is shared). See, for example, Hamburg, State and University Library Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky, Cod. Orient. 405:

              <decoNote xml:id="b6" type="SewingStations">4</decoNote>
            

A further description of the sewing is possible within a general <decoNote>↗. Here, you can also state the number of pairs of sewing stations:

             <decoNote xml:id="b2">Two pairs of sewing stations.</decoNote>
             

Endbands

Inside the <decoNote type="Endbands">↗ you can use the attribute @color and keywords to specify the endband type. See, for example, Hamburg, State and University Library Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky, Cod. Orient. 404:

               <decoNote xml:id="b5" type="Endbands" color="red white">
                 Narrow
                 <term key="slitBraid">slit-braid</term>
                 endbands and are sewn to the text block using a thread of animal origin. The headband is sewn starting from the upper board while the tailband is sewn starting from the lower board.
               </decoNote>
             

Endleaves and Pastedowns

Endleaves are one or more leaves added at the front and/or back of the textblock for its protection. Endleaves are frequently left blank or without pricking and ruling; but they can be used for marginal writing. A pastedown is an endleaf adhered to the inside of the front or back board and it is important to record its position in relation with the turn-ins. Inside the <decoNote type="Endleaves">↗ you can add the attribute @pastedown and choose up to three values prompted by the schema to describe the position of the pastedown. See, for example, Hamburg, State and University Library Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky, Cod. Orient. 405:

           <decoNote xml:id="b11" type="EndLeaves" pastedown="L OTI">
           The inner surface of the front board is covered with paper. Traces of paper are found also on the external surface.
           </decoNote>
           

Spine

Special characteristics of the spine can be recorded in the <decoNote type="Spine">↗ like, for example, a series of holes related to the presence of tackets.

Fastening

You can describe fastenings or the remaining traces of them in the <decoNote type="Fastenings">↗

Leather case (māḥdar)

Inside the <decoNote type="SlipCase">↗ you can record and describe the leather case (māḥdar) where the codex is kept.

Other

Inside the <decoNote type="Other">↗ is possible to use keywords from the specific sections of the taxonomy to record other features.

You can record the presence of parchment guards, their position and the technique of attachment.

It is possible to describe bookmarks using leafStringMark or LeafTabMark keywords.

             <bindingDesc>
                 <decoNote xml:id="b5" type="Other">
                 <term key="leafStringMark"></term>
                 inserted in the the upper text prick of ff. 10, 20, ...
                 </decoNote>
             </bindingDesc>
         

The leaf string marker is a bookmark made of one or several twisted threads, coloured or uncoloured, sewed through a leaf. It can be found in different positions as shown in the following examples ( Fig. g2 and Fig. g3)

1. A leaf string marker inserted in the upper corner

   Fig. g2.

2. A leaf string marker inserted in the upper text prick

   Fig. g3.

The leaf tab marker is a bookmark made of a small piece of textile inserted in the margin of a leaf as shown in Fig. g1