Rescuing the written past: a digitising and periodic preservation initiative for endangered manuscripts in private collections beyond Yogyakarta's palaces (EAP1628)

In present-day Yogyakarta are two eminent kingdoms and heirs to the Islamic Mataram legacy: Kraton Jogja and Pura Pakualaman. While it is well-known that Yogyakarta’s manuscripts were largely created within the palace confines, the existence of literary works beyond the regal precincts is significant and noteworthy. EAP1628 focuses on the manuscripts composed and preserved outside the palace precincts. These documents have not received much public attention and are often exceedingly fragile. Authored by significant figures in Yogyakarta’s local history and palace dignitaries, these manuscripts offer profound historical insights. Distinguished by their handwritten nature, many manuscripts exhibit exquisite illuminations and encapsulate texts of paramount informational significance, spanning religious discourse, traditional art and literary compositions. Written in Javanese, Arabic, and Malay language, with Pegon, Javanese, and Latin script, there are about 160 manuscripts (approximately 45,000 pages) with some dating far back as 1800 CE.