The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of July 18, 2026

A horizontally oriented fiber paper manuscript leaf features six rows of dense black script across a pale tan, horizontally grained surface. Two circular holes, each encircled by a textured red ring, are positioned on the left and right sides. Small red marks are scattered among the fine, looping characters. The narrow rectangle has slightly rounded edges, characteristic of traditional South Asian manuscript leaves used for religious or scholarly texts.

Leaf from a Buddhist Manuscript (verso)

c. 1700

Sri Lanka, Singhalese, Late 17th century

fiber paper
Overall: 6.4 cm (2 1/2 in.)
Educational Purchase Fund 1949.227.12.b
Location: Not on view

Description

Palm leaf material is still used for manuscripts in Sri Lanka. The palm leaves are prepared first by boiling them, drying them in the sun, and then rubbing them with oils. Scribes then use a metal stylus to incise the text. Then charcoal powder is wiped across the pages, filling in only the inscribed lines.
  • ?-–1949
    William E. Ward [1922-2004], Cleveland, OH, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1949–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Leaf from a Buddhist Manuscript (verso)|url=false|author=|year=c. 1700|access-date=18 July 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1949.227.12.b