One of my favorite artifacts in the OJAC permanent collection is this Burmese Pali Manuscript.
I’m sure you’re familiar with the term but just to review, a manuscript is usually a very old document that has been written by hand.
This manuscipt was was created in the country of Myanmar. Now, Myanmar is very old country but it was not always referred to by its current name.
It was formerly known as Burma- which is a name that many of you may remember. (A little note to any of our readers in Texas- this country is similar in scale to our state!)
Myanmar is located in Southwest Asia, sharing a border with China and Thailand. It’s a lush and vibrant place, known for its fishing and agriculture, as well as its beautiful architecture.
Now let’s explore a little history behind Pali Manuscripts. Pali are the oldest surviving Buddhist texts in the Pali language- a language so old that very few people even speak it anymore! These manuscripts are scripture-- handwritten long ago to describe both historical events and religious beliefs. They were a way to preserve and pass-down Buddhist traditions.
And these ancient texts were not published in the form of a bound book, but written instead on loose leaf pages. Basically, very thin slices of palm or bamboo that were etched into with a wood or metal stylus. After the text was etched, a charcoal wash was applied to its surface to make the text more visible. The leaf pages were stacked on one another, separated by thin sticks- and the scripture was then covered in cloth and kept in a box.
However, even though they were carefully conserved this way over the centuries, the climate of Myanmar is not conducive to the survival of manuscripts in general. It’s a fairly humid environment that isn’t the best for the conservation of paper. Most paper objects don’t survive more than a few centuries there.
In fact, except for one fragment from the eighth or ninth century that was found in Nepal- there aren’t many Pali Manuscripts still in existence in ANY country that were created before the 1700’s.
Ours was likely created in the late 1700’s to early 1800’s. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful artifact. This manuscript is like a long, skinny book made of bamboo paper with a hard cover that’s covered in gold, jewels, glass and stones. When you open it, its 240 pages fold out like an accordion. The pages are all folded and connect to one another like a fan.
Just like a book cover, the cover on the manuscript protects the pages from being torn or getting wet or marked on. And isn’t the cover fantastic? It’s intricate, ornate design indicates how precious it’s content are. When this manuscript is on exhibit in our galleries, the glass and jewels sparkle with light and movement of visitors.
It really is an eye-catcher and always a tour favorite! I recommend you experience it in person when you next visit the Old Jail Art Center.
Payton Cole, Campus Outreach Instructor