World history: Ancient manuscript books restoration project launched in Uzbekistan

At the Institute of Oriental Studies under the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan with the assistance of UNESCO launched a major project for the restoration of ancient manuscripts, many of which are real masterpieces of calligraphy and decoration of manuscripts.

To carry out restoration works and ensure optimal conditions for storage of manuscripts, on special order from Italy, have been delivered over sixty units of various equipment: a table with safe manuscript illumination system, a device for measuring the acidity of the manuscripts, the apparatus for the strict observance of temperature in the storage rooms, technology of microfilming. Also was received a special Japanese paper of a special transparency, providing reading of the text in the damaged areas after the restoration of manuscripts.

Manuscript Fund of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The collections of this research center preserves 27,000 volumes of manuscripts and 35,000 lithographs. Poorly studied until recently remained tens of thousands of historical documents of the oriental countries in the Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, old Uzbek, Turkish, Azeri and other languages. These rarities are very important for studying the history of Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries, as well as the Arab East, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, Pakistan and Turkey.