A Preliminary Appraisal of Marginalia in West African Manuscripts from the Mamma Haïdara Memorial Library Collection (Timbuktu)

A preliminary appraisal of marginalia in West African manuscripts from the Mamma Haïdara Memorial Library Collection (Timbuktu) reveals that these annotations, often overlooked, offer valuable insights into the history of ideas, knowledge transmission, and social and economic dynamics. The study identifies common types of marginalia, such as corrections, commentaries, and symbols, some of which are unique to West African manuscripts while others align with broader Arabic manuscript traditions. Independent textual fragments and ownership notes were also prevalent. This research provides a comparative framework for understanding the characteristics of marginalia in this region, hinting at its potential for further study.

Lliteras, S. M. (2017). A Preliminary Appraisal of Marginalia in West African Manuscripts from the Mamma Haïdara Memorial Library Collection (Timbuktu). The Arts and Crafts of Literacy, 143–178. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110541441-005