It would seem that the simple word “cover”, which everyone has come across more than once, should not cause any difficulties. But if you try to answer on the spot the question: “What is the cover?”, Then many will have difficulties with the exact definition of the word.
Appearance story
So what is a cover and how did it come about? The history of its appearance is inextricably linked with the evolution of the book. Initially, there was no need for covers, since the first books were strikingly different from the modern volumes we are used to. At first it was sheets of papyrus, which were glued together in long scrolls, birch bark letters and clay tablets. All of these materials had one major flaw: they were fragile.
By the III century, Europe began to use more convenient material for writing, which could be bent - parchment. Codes appeared a little earlier - the carriers of information closest to the modern book . The codes have already used the cover, which was made of durable material.
The more complex the production of books became and the more information they could store, the more acute the need to protect their contents. With the advent of manuscripts, the value of books has increased. The process of hand-made, expensive materials made medieval manuscripts invaluable. Books were so expensive that only very wealthy people could afford them. What is the cover in the Middle Ages? These were wooden boards that fastened to manuscript sheets and glued a piece of leather on top. Then the book was enclosed in an expensive salary adorned with jewelry.
After the advent of paper in Europe, the cover of books began to take on the usual modern look.
What is a cover - definition and types
This word refers to the cover of the book and its design. The cover may be soft or hard. Usually, paper or cardboard is used for its manufacture.
What is a cover? This is not only protection of the book from damage, but also a way for the reader to get information about it: the name of the work and the name of the author.
Do not confuse the cover and cover of the book - these are different concepts.
What is book cover for?
Almost everyone knows the answer to this question - from primary school students to the older generation. This is the protection of snow-white and fragile book sheets from adverse environmental influences, and mechanical damage.
But even the most durable cover of a book will not save it from damage if you handle it carelessly. It is enough to drop it from a height on a hard surface, and you can seriously harm both the cover and the pages of the book. If you save the book and use it carefully, it will look like a brand new one for many years.