In the past, scrolls were written on. They were used for generations. About two thousand years ago, the book (or codex) was invented. Now, we see codices everywhere as books and magazines. Scrolls are now mostly used in religion, in movies, and in costumes. Also, they are now used as novelty items.
Advantages
- Protected by the blank, outside of the scroll.
- Only one sheet of paper, papyrus, or parchment.
- Portable.
- Can be rolled vertically or horizontally.
- Fun to have and use in modern times as novelty.
Disadvantages
- Not very compact.
- Could be written on only one side.
- Lack of random access due to scrolling.
- Depending on length, it can only be written by hand.
- Can be difficult to organize on shelves.
- Can be expensive (e.g. the Tanakh in scroll form is huge and handwritten, which takes a long time).
Scrolls aren’t used as often anymore. The reason is clearly that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. They are enjoyable for special occasions and for use in movies.
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I’d imagine a huge disadvantage for the scroll is the inability to age well. But looking awesome is definitely an advantage!
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