In the previous post the idea of the human body containing two columns within it was demonstrated.
That idea was necessary to explaining the ideas behind why the scrolls used by ancient people for reading and writing were developed. Here is an old scroll.
As you can see, the scroll is basically two large cylinders seperated from each other by a small distance. The paper is wrapped around the cylinders so that the part of the paper within the seperation between the cylinders can be read or written. The paper is moved by rolling the cylinders to the right or to the left simultaneously.
The paper scroll was invented based on the idea of two human columns within the human body. The cylinders of the scroll bracket the side of the body while the paper of the scroll passes across the torso.
The movement of the paper on the scroll is based on the movement of mechanisms within the human body between the two cylinders shown. This scroll is not exactly accurate.
A more accurate representation of the cylinders within the human body and the mechanism that connects them, the mechanism that is the inspiration for the invention of scrolls, looks more like this.
This is a picture of a towel holder. The metal design on the side is the more correct interpretation of the cylinders and “paper” mechanism within the human body.
The difference is in the orientation. In the first scroll picture, both scrolls are oriented so that the paper is on the same side of the scroll. With the towel holder ornamentation, the one scroll is reversed so that instead of the paper unrolling on the same side of both scrolls, the paper rolls on opposite sides of the cylinders.
I do not have a picture of a real scroll with opposing cylinders. The picture below is an attempt to help you visualize the difference.
The dotted lines are meant to travel a path upwards to the top side, instead of the bottom side, of the cylinder, then wrap itself around the cylinder.
An obvious question is why the difference between both scroll types? Why are some scroll types opposing cylinders and some scroll types are the same side cylinders? If opposing cylinders are closer to the reality of the mechanism within the human body why were the same side cylinder scrolls invented? And apparently more common as pictures of those types of scrolls are easy to find.
My guess is that the original design was indeed based on the human body according to the theme of this blog. All inventions are based on something within the human body. The original design being opposing side cylinder scrolls.
Using this setup for the use of paper scrolls has a drawback. Because one side of the scrolls is on top, there is a gap between the paper and whatever surface the scrolls are resting on.
In practical use, the gap between the paper and the surface of whatever the cylinders are resting on would be vulnerable to tearing. The smallest pressure would cause the paper to tear. By changing the scrolls from opposing side cylinders to same side cylinders, the problem with the tearing paper in the gap is solved.
It would not make any difference to the people actually using scrolls that the design no longer followed the scroll mechanism within the human body.