CSMC
CSMCCentre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures
From historical records, researchers know the materials traditionally used in the production of canonical deluxe editions, such as precious metals, mineral pigments, and organic substances like plant dyes and materials of animal origin. Identifying the materials used in the Khams brgyad manuscripts not only allows them to check whether their results are consistent with these sources, but also to gain new insights into the geographic origins of their production. For instance, certain compounds derived from plants and animals used in Tibetan manuscript-making can help to narrow down the regional provenance to the habitats where these species naturally occur. Paper containing specific fibers may suggest production at high or low altitudes, as does the presence of yak-hide glue, which could point to a manufacturing centre above a certain altitude.
The team collaborates with the University of Oslo Library represented by Øystein Johan Kleiven (Academic Librarian, Subject specialist in Chinese studies), Hege Rød Segerblad (Special Collections and Digitisation Coordinator) and Per Kværne (Professor Emeritus of the History of Religions, Tibetology, and Bon studies), the École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL University, Paris, represented by Charles Ramble (Professor of Tibetan History and Philology and director of the Tibetan Studies research team of the Centre for Research on East Asian Civilisations (CRCAO) in Paris). To further explore the organic components of the collection, the team is collaborating with experts from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena and the Department of Food Chemistry at the University of Hamburg.
