Manuscript Box (Sadaik)

Burmese Buddhist texts—carriers of Buddhist dharma, or teachings—and other religious manuscripts are considered sacred objects. They are stored in heavily embellished and gilded chests called sadaik, which, when displayed within the monastery, are often set on high ornamented stands. Lacquer molding, called thayo, typically decorates these boxes. With the Buddha in the center of this gallery, this box shares an ornamental style—molded and gilded surfaces studded with sparkling glass and mirrors—associated with the Mandalay region of central Burma, a style that persisted from the pre-colonial period (c. 1825) into the early 20th century.