msDesc

msDesc is a manuscript description element used in digital textual encoding standards such as the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) and the Music Encoding Initiative (MEI). It provides a structured way to encode metadata about a manuscript, focusing on description rather than full textual content. The element is intended to document the physical and bibliographic characteristics of a manuscript and to support scholarly access, comparison, and discovery.

In TEI, msDesc typically appears within the TEI header under sourceDesc as the primary container for manuscript metadata. In MEI, msDesc serves a similar role within the source description framework, describing the artefact that underlies the musical text or material. The exact arrangement and naming of subelements can vary by schema version and project, but the aim is the same: to capture authoritative, machine-readable information about a manuscript.

Common content encoded in msDesc includes identification details (such as shelf marks, catalog numbers, and repository or collection), provenance and dating information, and a description of physical characteristics (material, format, dimensions, and other physical attributes). It often also covers scribal or palaeographic details, language and script, and the contents of the manuscript (structure, incipits, explicit, or notable sections). Additional metadata may address acquisition history, custody, and access conditions, as well as links to related resources or encoded texts.

The purpose of msDesc is to facilitate interoperability, discoverability, and accurate cataloging across digital editions, libraries, and scholarly projects. By providing a standardized description of a manuscript, msDesc supports indexing, search, and cross-resource referencing, while allowing project-specific extensions as needed.

See also: TEI, MEI, sourceDesc, manuscript cataloging.