More Leaves from a Deconstructed Sinhalese Palm-Leaf Manuscript
April 10, 2021 in Manuscript Studies
More Leaves of a Deconstructed
Sinhalese Palm-Leaf Manuscript
with Stringing Holes
Part 2
[Posted on 10 April, with updates, as Mildred Budny continues the quest, and the owner supplies the full series of images.]
Following Part 1, we continue the display of the leaves — or rather bisected half-leaves — in a Sinhalese Palm-Leaf Manuscript now in a private collection. The fragment apparently presents a single Buddhist text, albeit in a disordered sequence with some gaps. The text is not yet identified.
The manuscript is written, from left to right, in Sinhalese script (see Sinhala_script) upon palm-leaves. The language is mostly likely Pali (a guide: Pali). At present, the 33 half-leaves are strung on string or cord through a single stringing hole, ending in a simple beveled rectangular cover. The text is written in single columns of 5 to 8 lines per column.
A match for the specimen in terms of script appears here, with transliteration of its text:
Some half-leaves have Letter/Number Marks in the left-hand margin. They correspond with one of the systems for Sinhala Numerals.
The Kaṭapayādi or Katapayadi System uses Sinhala consonants to depict Numbers 1 to 9 and 0, “for easy remembrance of numbers as words or verses”. The numeration “is known as Katapayadiya since number one is allocated with the Sinhala letters ‘Ka’ (ක), ‘Ta’ (ට), ‘Pa’ (ප ) and ‘Ya’ (ය)”.
Some archaic Sinhala Numerals are shown in A Comprehensive Grammar of Sinhalese Language by Mendis Gunasekera (1891), Plate III.
By such guides, as well as other material and textual features of the half-leaves, a conjectured reconstruction might be assembled.
A Full Leaf Reconstructed
An example, showing the full leaf on one of its sides, combines its fragmentary half-leaves photographically. Part 1 already showed one side. Now in Part 2 we show both.
One Side (30A + 26A Upright)
The Other Side (30 + 26 Upright)
A Case Study
The goal here is both:
- to show the book as a case study, or cautionary tale, for materials from foreign lands and languages, and
- to gather feedback and suggestions for reconstructing its original order, recognizing its text, and identifying its probable date and place of production.
You can join the quest even if you do not (yet) know the language, because material features and pattern recognition offer useful guides for solving the puzzle.
Part 1 considered:
That first Post presented, with the owner’s permission, images of some leaves out of the full set in the book at present. The full set of images encompasses Sides 1–30A, plus the cover.
The numbering was adopted by the collector for photographing the half-leaves in their current series within the book. Numbers 1–30 for the leaves, and suffix A for their second sides: 1, 1A, 2, 2A, and so on. Let’s call them “Sides”. Note that the current assembly of the leaves, and the photographs made in consecutive sequence turning its leaves one by one, sometimes show the text on them upside-down.
The first post displayed images in several groups:
-
Beveled Rectangular Cover
-
Numbers 1–8A
To Start the Show
-
Numbers 9–11A and 23–24A
To Exhibit the Half-Leaves which have Doubled (or Repierced) Sets of Stringing Holes
-
Numbers 30A + 26A:
To Demonstrate the Virtual Reconstruction of the Originally Conjoined Halves of one Full Side (front or back) of a Single Leaf
That virtual reconstruction of 1 former side of 1 full leaf vividly demonstrates the reshuffling of the half-leaves in producing a newly reconstructed ‘deck’ for the sequence.
Now we show more of the manuscript.
The Rest of the Set
Starting with:
Side 12, with Letter/Number Mark
This piece has a Letter/Number at the left, showing its position as part of a Verso. (On the numbering system, see Part 1.)
Side 12A
Side 13
Side 13A
Side 14, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 14A
Side 15, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 15A
Side 16, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 16A
Side 17, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 17A
Side 18, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 18A
Side 19, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 19A
Side 20, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 20A
Side 21
Side 21A
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Sides 22–24A with Doubled Stringing Holes, and also 26A (formerly conjoined with Side 30A) are shown in Part 1.
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There remains to show Sides 25–26 and Sides 27–30.
Although Side 26A and Side 30A appeared in g Part 1 and above, in the virtual reconstruction of the same side on both halves of the original leaf, we show them again here, in the consecutive sequence at present.
Remember, some of the ‘Sides’ show the text upside-down. The orientation of the photograph is easily remedied.
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Side 25
Side 25A
Side 26
Side 26A
(Formerly conjoint with 30A)
Side 27
Side 27A
Side 28
Side 28A
Side 29, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 29A
Side 30, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 30A
(Formerly conjoint with 26A)
Side 31, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 31A
Side 32, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 32A
Side 33, with Letter/Number Mark
Side 33A
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End Pages or ‘Sides’ (Half-Leaves)
A recap about the present front and back of the book.
1) ‘End Side’ at Front = Side 1 with Letter/Number Mark ‘Ka’ (ක)
2) ‘End Side’ at Back = Side 33A
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The Manuscript
Do these half-leaves, now strung in partly shuffled order, represent the full extent of the original manuscript? By the uneven numbers, the 33 half-leaves of the strung book at present have lost 1 half-leaf. The former covers for the leaves in their full original widths are lost.
Other leaves also might be missing. Among them might be a colophon and title, or the like. As it stands, the book and its photographs offer scope for virtual reconstruction, without needing to deconstruct the sequence yet again.
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An Invitation
We invite you to join the challenge of helping to reconstruct the original sequence of the ‘Sides’ shown here.
Can you identify the text? Do you know where other leaves from this book, including the opening and closing leaves, might survive?
Do you recognize the work of the scribe(s) in other manuscripts? Do you have advice about the dating and origin?
Please let us know. We invite you to place your Comments here, Contact Us, and visit our Facebook Page.
A full leaf, virtually reconstructed, showing one of its sides:
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Hello I also have a Sinhala palm leaf book. There are about 50 pages scribed on both sides. Two wooden covers with one string through the entire set. I bought it at a “hippy” street fair in Seattle in the mid 1970’s. The fellow told me he bought it in Indonesia on a back packing trip. I have aged and now would like to do something with it. Being retired I am looking around to see what I have that can help with daily life. Over the years have seen similar pages of script being for sale on e-bay. The information and prices are way out of line. Any ideas for me? My kids would just dump the book as not worthy research.
Thank you for your comment. Your observations make sense, and we wonder about the nature of your book. Good fortune with your explorations!