Description: A set of rare and complete Burmese manuscript, Kammavaca Kammavaca is the most sacred of Burmese religious texts, and was used for monastic ritual, most commonly for ordination. It contains rules of monastic service and includes scripts (khandaka) on ordination, admonitions to the newly ordained monk. It is now very difficult to find a complete set and very good condition like this. Formal expert appraisal included: "This kammavaca Buddhist manuscript consists of 2 covers and 16 leaves, The outer cover leaves are fashioned from lacquered wood to provide a rigid finish. The leaves are also extensively lacquered and decorated with gold and most likely to be based around palm leaves (although the material base can vary). This beautiful example is highly decorated and the leaves carry 6 lines of Pali script, as well as Burmese numbering. The small hole in each leaf was so they could be placed over a bamboo skewer when being read. Overall this manuscript is in very good condition. There are signs of wear, consistent with age – particular to the covers in the form of wear to the lacquer and some losses at the extremities where the covers have sustained small losses at the corners. The interior leaves appear to be in excellent condition and remain bright and untarnished, with the black Pali writing nice and clear. Kammavaca in this condition, and as a complete set, are increasingly rare as they often split into individual leaves for display purposes. Also, as 16 leaves are the most common grouping for the manuscript for a complete text, leaves from partial sets are often mixed to provide the appearance of a complete set, when actually they are a composite set of leaves from different sources. We have examined the images supplied and are pleased to report that this is an original complete set with all its original leaves present. This is a special manuscript and would have been purchased at considerable expense. It would have been presented to a novice monk at the time of theirordination, being commissioned by a lay person (typically a parent or family benefactor), gaining merit in the process. Dating:Sometimes these manuscripts are dated, but this is not the case with this one. Dating can be difficult as manuscripts like this continue to be made in thesame style to this day.Taking into account the overall appearance, the 6 line text format, and the design style, I would consider this example to be from the 19th Century.I would place this example circa 1850-1880 – a little older than most kammavaca offered for sale.Age: Burma, Mandalay Period, 19th Century" Measurement: Height 4.2 C.M. / Width 10.5 C.M. / Length 54 C.M. Fast, safe & reasonably priced shipping, with tracking.
Price: 3800 USD
Location: Jacksonville, North Carolina
End Time: 2024-10-05T15:57:48.000Z
Shipping Cost: 35 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 60 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Primary Material: Wood
Type: Manuscript
Color: Gold & Red
Original/Reproduction: Antique Original
Region of Origin: Burma
Age: 1850-1899
