The calame of the Greek calamos (καλαμος) is a cut Roseau points some of which one is useful oneself for the writing:

• dry

  on shelves of Clay.
  Il gave its characteristic form to the wedge-shaped writing: small triangles fruits of the depression of the calame in tender clay

• soaked in a Ink, on a papyrus, a Parchment, a Paper or very other support.
  La Arab Calligraphie still uses the calame ( Qalam ) although in modern Arabic, qalam also means pencil or pen.

It is probable initially that used as instrument of Gravure in the Argile, its use with Encre is posterior; it then gave place to the development of the feather of writing.

Calame for clay shelves

Cut in a reed or another matter, it in general has a triangular end and a round end.

Calame to write with ink

The calame is cut in the upper part of a Roseau coming from Roselière S from tropical countries.

To be usable, the Roseau must be dried. This operation is done by maintaining it at a constant temperature (in manure for example), where it loses its water, and hardens; of color blanchâtre when it is collected, it becomes brown-red, clear or dark even sometimes black, according to the type of reed.

When the reed is dry, it is cut, while placing it in the palm of the hand and while cutting it in bevel with a knife until the edge has the desired form. The end thus obtained is then adjusted according to the desired width of nozzle. Finally the end of the nozzle is split of a few centimetres then crossed in bevel on a Plaquette with cut (“makta” at the Othomans) to obtain an angle of writing adapted to the hand of the scribe.

The calame is recut regularly because the end of the nozzle in contact with paper wears quickly.

Of another matters are used such as the Bambou, for example in the writing Dongba of the Naxi S where the thin and hard of a tree of Malaysia, very resistant growth and not requiring to be recut, is fixed in a Roseau like a metal feather.

Linguistics

A fault of writing is sometimes called Lapsus calami - scripturaire equivalent of the Lapsus linguæ .

Culture

See too

• Penmanship

• Writing
• Calamus
• Kalamkari, Indian art of painting on unbleached cotton fabric, using kalam (“calame”)