Bidspirit auction | Birch Bark Manuscript containing Ancient

Birch Bark Manuscript containing Ancient Indian script, likely Kharosthi or Brahmi, Indian. - Birch bark manuscripts are among the oldest surviving writing materials from the Indian subcontinent and played a vital role in preserving ancient literature, religious texts, administrative records, and scholarly works. Prepared from the bark of the Himalayan birch tree (Betula utilis), these manuscripts were widely used between the 2nd century BCE and the 12th century CE, particularly in regions such as Gandhara, Kashmir, and parts of Central Asia. Many surviving examples are written in the Kharosthi script, which was commonly used in the Gandhara region and written from right to left, while others use the Brahmi script, the earliest widespread script of India and the ancestor of most modern South and Southeast Asian scripts. These manuscripts often contain Buddhist scriptures, legal documents, medical treatises, and philosophical writings, providing invaluable evidence of the cultural, linguistic, and religious history of ancient India. Their remarkable survival in dry climates has enabled historians and archaeologists to study the evolution of early Indian writing, literature, and manuscript traditions. See Photos for more details and sizes