SCROLL HISTORY

The word Scroll has many definitions. A scroll is a piece of paper or parchment that usually is rolled up. Over the ages, scrolls have been used to protect important writings that contained laws and agreements between people. Graduates often receive their diplomas written on scrolls. Scrolls often held lists, rules, and rosters. They were used to catalogue written history in early-library systems and were precursors of books.

The term “to scroll through things” refers to searching for something. When using computers, we scroll in order to move to different areas on the screen or to a new screen. Other types of scrolls are ornamental in nature, usually sculptural, and they may resemble a rolled sheet of paper but contain no text, or possibly a few carved words or designs.

The Scroll has a fascinating history that is related to the evolution of all of the bowed string instruments and how they were integrated into people’s lives. I am going to tell you about how scrolls originated, and how they eventually became art objects as well.