Thai yantra manuscript, 1930s.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Contributor:

Bekker, Konrad, died 1981, former owner.

Bekker, Sarah M., died 2013, former owner.

Language:

Thai

Subjects (All):

Yantras.

Tantrism.

Genre:

folded books

diagrams

drawings (visual works)

manuals (instructional materials)

Manuscripts, Thai.

Manuscripts.

Manuscripts, Digital.

Penn Provenance:

Sold to Konrad and Sarah M. Bekker in the 1950s or 1960s; Konrad Bekker worked for the State Department in Asia and Sarah Bekker was an art historian.

Sold from the estate of Konrad and Sarah M. Bekker at auction at Sloans & Kenyon, 14-16 June 2013, part of lot 467.

Physical Description:

1 item (56 folios) : paper, illustrations ; 11 x 35.2 cm

Contained In:

Collection of Southeast Asian Manuscripts. Item 11

Place of Publication:

1930s.

Language Note:

In Thai (Thai and Khom).

Summary:

Illustrated manual on the creation of yantras, geometrical diagrams used as aids to meditation in tantric worship. Title is not fully legible but may begin with the phrase Nangsu subudkud. Text in Thai script explains the text in Khom script. Sides of folios damaged at the bottom of the manuscript; some folds repaired or reinforced with sewing.

Notes:

Written in 6 or 8 (f. B21-B24) lines per segment on text folios.

Written in Thailand in the 1930s (Justin McDaniel).

Written by multiple hands, with rough notes in ink (f. B25) and notes in pencil (f. B26-B27) at the end.

Khoi paper; folded concertina- or accordion-style, including covers.

Very worn covers, now damaged at corners and lacking the borders of heavy paper; decorated with gilt squares.

39 illustrated folios with diagrams (f. A03-A04, A06-A07, A09-A17, A21-A22, A25-A28, B01-B02, B04-B08, B10-B12, B16-B17, B19-B20) and line drawings of deities, monsters, and architectural ornamentation (f. A01-A02, A23-A24, B13, B15).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Coll. 990, Item 11

OCLC:

899241533