volumen
The papyrus roll used in ancient Egypt, Greece,
and Rome, written on one side only with a reed
pen. The text was in columns, the lines of which
ran parallel the length of the roll. The final
papyrus sheet of the volumen was rolled around a
knobbed rod which served as a handle. The rolls
were stored in boxes or on shelves, and, in the
latter case, had an identifying label of vellum
attached to the end of the roll. The label, which
was sometimes colored, bore the title of the work.
A wooden case (manuale) was sometimes used to
protect the edges of the roll. "Volumen" is Latin
for "a thing rolled up." (156 )
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