Text, Folio 58 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
14
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
14
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a long, narrow wooden board covered in tiny, evenly spaced holes arranged in rows. The holes form a pattern of text, like a grid of dots that could be filled in with ink. There are two small circles on the wood, maybe for handling or decoration. This looks like an old tool for printing or copying text by hand—each hole might help guide a brush or stylus. It’s from a Buddhist scripture, but the exact method isn’t clear. Check out how The Cleveland Museum of Art displays similar historical writing tools.
