PBA Galleries

16 leaves, richly gilt and with manuscript in black lacquer on both sides (first and last leaf with text on one side only), painted and gilt wood covers, approximately 13.5x56 cm (5¼x22"). Housed in an elaborately carved and gilt custom box, overall approximately 11x67x20.5 cm (4½x26¼x8").

The Kamawa-sa is one of the most beautiful of all Burmese manuscripts, and contains extracts from the Pali "Vinaya" pertaining to the conduct, ordination and investiture of monks. They were usually commissioned as works of merit on the occasion of a son entering the monk-hood. Because of their sacred nature, no expense was spared to make them objects of beauty. Kamawa-sa consist of typically 16 leaves, made from four folded layers of cotton cloth, thickly coated with lacquer which hardens to make a firm, shiny, and smooth but pliant surface. The text of about six lines per side is written in thick lustrous black lacquer in a script called "Magyi-za" (tamarind seed), a popular script in the Pagan period. The intervening lines are embellished with delicate little birds, animals, and snippets of foliage rendered in gold leaf against a fine hatched background. Further gilt vegetal scrolling decorates the margins framing the text. The first last leaves have wider margins, the end pages are occupied by panels bearing illustrations of lively celestial beings. These motifs are repeated on the lacquered wooden covers enclosing the book. For protection the Kamawa-sa is wrapped in locally woven yellow cotton cloth and secured by special, tightly-woven "Sasigyo" ribbons pattered with monastic and royal symbols and the name, title and pious aspirations of the donor. All are contained in a highly decorated box.