Tambar (medical text). Sumatra late 19th century.
Department of Oriental and Judaica Collections, Batak 69

Bark book with wooden covers

Bark book protected by two wooden covers held together by a braided rattan string. It is a typical way for the Batak people in Sumatra to protect their books. The book contains a medical text (Tambar) of 36 leaves glued together in a libretto form. The text is written in Simalungun Batak. The leaves are from the late 19th century, the covers from the early 20th century.

7.5 x 6 cm.

© Det Kongelige Bibliotek 2003