Text, Folio 96 (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 96 (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 wooden block with three rows of tiny, evenly spaced holes carved into it. The holes form lines of text, like braille but deeper. The wood looks worn and golden-brown, with two small metal rings on the sides. These blocks were used to stamp text onto paper or fabric. Each hole lets ink pass through, creating letters or symbols in reverse. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.