<msDesc>

<msDesc> (manuscript description) contains a description of a single identifiable manuscript or other text-bearing object such as an early printed book. [10.1. Overview]
Module msdescription
Attributes Attributes att.global (xml:id, n, xml:lang) (lim.att.global.fragmentable (part)) (att.global.rendition (rendition)) (att.global.source (source)) att.typed (type) att.docStatus (docStatus, metaStatus)
Member of
model.biblLike
Contained by
core: add corr del desc emph head hi item l listBibl note orig p q quote ref reg sic title unclear
figures: cell figDesc figure
header: change handNote rendition sourceDesc taxonomy
lim: NB compliment duration enclosure request
linking: ab seg standOff
msdescription: msItem origin summary surrogates
namesdates: location occupation
textstructure: body div docEdition epigraph imprimatur postscript salute signed titlePart trailer
transcr: damage supplied
May contain
core: head p
linking: ab
msdescription: additional history msContents msIdentifier msPart physDesc
Note
Although the msDesc has primarily been designed with a view to encoding manuscript descriptions, it may also be used for other objects such as early printed books, fascicles, epigraphs, or any text-bearing objects that require substantial description. If an object is not text-bearing or the reasons for describing the object is not primarily the textual content, the more general object may be more suitable.
Examples

<msDesc>
   <msIdentifier>
      <settlement>Oxford</settlement>
      <repository>Bodleian Library</repository>
      <idno type="Bod">MS Poet. Rawl. D. 169.</idno>
   </msIdentifier>
   <msContents>
      <msItem>
         <author>Geoffrey Chaucer</author>
         <title>The Canterbury Tales</title>
      </msItem>
   </msContents>
   <physDesc>
      <objectDesc>
         <p>A parchment codex of 136 folios, measuring approx
          28 by 19 inches, and containing 24 quires.</p>
         <p>The pages are margined and ruled throughout.</p>
         <p>Four hands have been identified in the manuscript: the first 44
          folios being written in two cursive anglicana scripts, while the
          remainder is for the most part in a mixed secretary hand.</p>
      </objectDesc>
   </physDesc>
</msDesc>
Source Github

<elementSpec module="msdescription" xml:id="MSDESC" ident="msDesc">
   <gloss>manuscript description</gloss>
   <desc xml:id="msdesc.desc">contains a description of a single identifiable
manuscript or other text-bearing object such as an early printed book.</desc>
   <classes>
      <memberOf key="att.global"/>
      <memberOf key="model.biblLike"/>
      <memberOf key="att.typed"/>
      <memberOf key="att.docStatus"/>
   </classes>
   <content>
      <sequence>
         <elementRef key="msIdentifier"/>
         <classRef key="model.headLike" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <alternate>
            <classRef key="model.pLike" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
            <sequence>
               <elementRef key="msContents" minOccurs="0"/>
               <elementRef key="physDesc" minOccurs="0"/>
               <elementRef key="history" minOccurs="0"/>
               <elementRef key="additional" minOccurs="0"/>
               <alternate>
                  <elementRef key="msPart" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
                  <elementRef key="msFrag" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
               </alternate>
            </sequence>
         </alternate>
      </sequence>
   </content>
</elementSpec>