A Compensation Islamic Endband for a Manuscript with Uneven Edges

This paper presents an innovative compensation method for sewing Islamic endbands on manuscripts with significantly uneven edges, developed during the conservation of a fifteenth-century Uyghur medical manuscript (UTK-0001) from Xinjiang, China. The manuscript exhibited pronounced edge undulations due to historical sewing hole misalignment and composite leaf construction. Traditional endband techniques proved inadequate for such irregularities, prompting the development of a solution combining a custom leather compensation spacer, a hybrid sewing structure, and an Andalusi-style spine lining. The method successfully reconciled structural integrity with aesthetic preservation, allowing full manuscript opening while maintaining geometric precision in the chevron-patterned secondary endbands. The project underscores the value of craft-based research in addressing uncommon conservation challenges.