Manuscript Cultures and Epigraphy of the Tai World

During the past four decades an impressive corpus of manuscripts and epigraphical material in Thailand, Laos, and adjacent Tai-speaking areas has been surveyed, documented, and digitized. Scholarly interest in this material has not been restricted to philological and historical studies of the texts contained in manuscripts and inscriptions but has extended to its material aspects, which encompass manuscripts written on palm-leaf, various forms of paper, cloth, bamboo, and other organic material, and inscriptions on stone, metal, and wood. In Manuscript Cultures and Epigraphy of the Tai World, Volker Grabowsky seeks to explore the production, use, and transmission of manuscripts both as containers of traditional knowledge and as objects used in daily life, rituals, and ceremonies. Particular emphasis is given to the relationship between manuscripts and inscriptions, as both have influenced each other to no small degree. Through a comprehensive look at the Tai-language literature's chronological and synchronic development, readers will learn the social importance of these literary productions.

Volker Grabowsky is professor of Thai studies at the Asia-Africa Institute, University of Hamburg, and author of several books, including the translations and analyses of Chronicles of Chiang Khaeng and Chronicles of Sipsòng Panna.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.