Sealed Manuscripts in Laos: New Findings from Luang Prabang

Two newly discovered palm-leaf manuscripts from Luang Prabang, dating to the mid-nineteenth century, reveal rare insights into the manuscript culture of the Lao kingdom during its time as a tributary state of Siam. These royal decrees, authenticated by well-preserved seals, provide evidence of the material and iconographic practices used to legitimize official communications in Laos and neighboring Tai-speaking regions. The analysis of these manuscripts offers a deeper understanding of the role of seals in administrative and ceremonial contexts within Southeast Asian manuscript traditions.

Grabowsky, V. (2021). Sealed Manuscripts in Laos: New Findings from Luang Prabang. Exploring Written Artefacts, 667–688. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110753301-033