Paper: Russian machine-made paper without labels and with a stamp of the Manufacture of А. Sumkin the merchant’s heirs (Vologda Governance) (had been made in 1869-1909) (f. 1-59, 63, 66). Writing style: half-uncial script by several hands. Cyrillic numeric pagination of several parts (scriber’s). Decoration: headings and initials with red inks; head-pieces with floral ornament – f. 1, 9, 10, 14, 19, 21, 22, 27, 53, 60; schematic head-pieces – f. 11, 13, 14; initial with floral ornament– f. 44; schematic end-pieces – f. 11, 13, 16, 20, 25, 29, 41, 44, 45, 50, 52.
The manuscript contains 3 groups of texts: 1) spiritual verses – peoples' religious poetry, spread in the Old Believer communities; 2) extracts from essays of Christian writers about Bible symbols, Orthodox (including Easter) orders, and monkhood; 3) extracts from the Book of Needs for monks [Потребник иноческий] about confession, and punishment for monks for breaking the rules about eating and drinking. Binding: 1910s-1920s, cardboard, textile. Readers’ notes and paper bookmarks. The manuscript is compiled from texts written in 1900s and 1910s-1920s.
8° (size of book block – 274 mm x108 mm, binding size - 178 mm x109 mm, binding height –13 mm); 66 f. = f. 1-29 (1910s-1920s) + 30-39 (empty) + 40-52 (1910s-1920s) + 53-59 (empty) + 60-66 (1900s); Condition: satisfactory. The manuscript was composed in the community of Old believers-pilgrims living in the Tomsk-Chulym taiga.
