Text, Folio 12 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Byzantine icon painting Classical Antiquity

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 12 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is a 14 unspecified by Unknown, a Byzantine icon painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 14 · Byzantine icon painting
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This is a long, narrow wooden board with rows of tiny holes punched in it. The holes are arranged in neat, repeating patterns across three sections. Two small white circles sit near the top, like markers. The board looks like an old tool for copying text—maybe for scribes. The date carved into it (1119) suggests it’s very old. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see it in person.