This is a single leaf from a 19th century Mon Burmese Kammavaca, a Buddhist monk's ordination text, made in the southern part of Burma. The text, written in Pali script, is part of a collection of extracts from the Pali Vinaya, the monastic code of discipline, outlining the rituals and observances of the Buddhist order and concerned principally with ordination and the bestowal of robes. The leaves are made of several layers of cloth, purportedly the fabric of discarded monks' robes, which have been lacquered to provide a rigid surface. The lacquered surface is gilded with silver leaf and the design is finely painted in red lacquer with the text in thick black lacquer made from tamarind seeds. This piece has text on both sides. The whole in the middle of the left side is the binding hole - not a defect.

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Condition: B+

Rubbed from use with a minor puncture on one side, else very good.