Text, folio 164 (recto), 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 Religious

Dominant colour

Text, folio 164 (recto), 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 raised dots arranged in neat rows. The dots form patterns of text, like Braille but older. Two small rings hang from the top, maybe for carrying. The dots spell out a Buddhist scripture, written in an ancient Indian language. This kind of board was used to read by touch—like a tactile book. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.