Text, folio 160 (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 160 (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 panel covered in tiny, precise carvings. The surface is packed with rows of uniform script, each character carefully etched into the wood. The edges are slightly worn, and two small circular marks appear near the ends. The text looks like an early Buddhist scripture, written in a style meant to be read from right to left. It’s been dated to 1119, but the carver’s name is lost. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see how they preserve these kinds of objects.