Text, folio 47 (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 Religious

Dominant colour

Text, folio 47 (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 covered in tiny, precise black marks. The marks form rows of text, packed tightly side by side. Two small circular holes are spaced evenly near the top—one in the middle, one near the right edge. The text looks like it was written by hand, but it’s all the same size and style, almost like a puzzle. The wood is worn in spots, showing it’s very old. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see where this sits today.