Before creating a manuscript record

Before creating a manuscript record, as for all entities, it is important to check whether it already exists! It is better not to check only the repository folder in which you would expect it in GitHub, but to search for the manuscript's shelfmark or other identifiers on the app as well. Remember that particularly records for EMML and EMIP manuscripts might have already been created within their actual repository and vice versa.

Manuscript Structure: Use of msDesc, msPart and msFrag

Reading of the TEI guidelines for manuscript description is highly recommended. Regarding the structure of simple and composite manuscripts, they also state in Manuscript Parts

Since each component of such a composite manuscript will in all likelihood have its content, physical description, history, and so on, the structure of msPart is in the main identical to that of msDesc, allowing one to retain the top level of identity (msIdentifier), but to branch out thereafter into as many parts, or even subparts, as necessary.

This means that for manuscripts made of only one part we will use only <msDesc>↗, but in any case, where a structure in codicological units occurs, we will use <msPart>↗. <msPart>↗ can contain other <msPart>↗s. <msFrag>↗ can be used when there are at least two parts of one manuscript kept in different repositories and our schema this is allowed also beside <msPart>↗ for special cases like BNFet45.

As for issue 368 we have decided to use <msFrag>↗ and <msPart>↗ as follows in cases where leaves or quires have been moved. The Ms containing currently the unit will have a <msPart>↗ with it, with an appropriate description and pointer to the manuscript where the unit comes from. The Ms which has lost a unit will instead have a <msFrag>↗ pointing to the Ms where the unit is now. Please, do not confuse this with cases where leaves or quires are lost.

Double records

It can be that you find out the same manuscript is present under 2 identifiers.

You can fix this by merging the two records in one and deleting the one with less information. Remember when doing this to check for references to the id which will go missing, and update them to point to the other identifier.

Manuscript Encoding: Overview

1. General structure of the Manuscript record
2. Structure of the Identifiers in a Manuscript record
3. Description of the Manuscript
4. Text encoding
5. References
6. Stratigraphic description (La Syntaxe du Codex)
7. Images

Some more specific types of written artefacts,

1. Inscriptions
2. Scrolls
3. Letters