Text, Folio 136 (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

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 136 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is a 14 unspecified by Unknown, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

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

About this work

This is a long, narrow wooden block covered in tiny, precise holes arranged in neat rows. The holes form squares and lines, creating a grid pattern across the surface. Small white dots mark the edges, and the numbers "184" and "136" are stamped in the corners. This block is actually a printing tool for Buddhist texts—each hole holds ink to stamp pages. It’s part of an old scripture from Nepal, made over 900 years ago. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see it in person.