DRANGSONG MANUSCRIPTS
|
1. Text number |
Drangsong 017 |
|
2. Text title (where present) in Tibetan |
No title |
|
3. Text title (where present) in Wylie transliteration |
|
|
4. A brief summary of the item’s contents |
A protective amulet of indistinct identity |
|
5. Number of folios |
1
|
|
6. Scribe’s name |
|
|
7. Translation of title |
|
|
8. Transcription of colophon |
|
|
9. Translation of colophon |
|
|
10. General remarks |
|
|
11. Remarks on script |
Numerals and images only |
|
12. Format |
Single sheet |
|
13. Size |
20 × 19.5 cm |
|
14. Layout |
|
|
15. Illustrations and decorations |
This square piece of paper is drawn with an unidentified yantra diagram enhanced with pigments. It was folded twice into a square of half the former’s size, and then once again into a small rectangular format, possibly so as to be stored between the folios of a manuscript. The yantra diagram is composed of three concentric octagons and an outer range of flames separated from each other by double black lines. The three inner octagons are drawn with a total of seventeen symbols, which are numbered in black clockwise from 1 to 17 and painted in different colours. The inner octagon is centred on a blue counter-clockwise svastika. The middle one possesses eight parts, on which are represented a golden vajra, a green bell, a brown book, what may be a blue phur pa, a green blazing jewel, a yellow mchod rten, a green gtor ma, and what may be a multicolour sme ba. As for the outer octagon, its eight parts ornamented with cloud designs on the top corners are drawn with a brown skullcup, a yellow flat-bell (gshang), a light-blue trident, a brown four-spoked wheel, a yellow rosary, a reserved mirror, a blue blazing sword, and a light-green animal head or a rhyton adorned with the latter. At the periphery of that octagon are represented thin tongues of flames turning clockwise. |
|
16. Paper type |
Woven, 1 layer, textile sieve print visible |
|
17. Paper thickness |
0.10–0.15 |
|
18. Nos of folio sampled |
f. 1 |
|
Digital microscope images |
 |
|
Back lit samples |
 |
|
XRF Analysis |
Main elements : Ca, Fe, Cl, K, S |
|
RTI Images |
 |
|
Fibre Composition |
 |
