Miscellaneous Burmese manuscripts in the Bodleian Library

This material is held atBodleian Library, University of Oxford

  • Reference
    • GB 161 MSS. Burm. a. 1-2 (R), 3, 4 (R), 5-10, 11 (R), 12, 13-15 (R), 16, b. 1-5, 6 (R), 7, 8-11 (R), c. 1-2, 3-9 (R), d. 1 (R), e. 1, g. 1 (R)
  • Dates of Creation
    • 16th-19th century, mainly 19th century
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • Burmese.
  • Physical Description
    • 39 shelfmarks

Scope and Content

Miscellaneous Burmese manuscripts, 16th-19th century. The collection includes parabaik manuscripts, some depicting Burmese court scenes (MSS. Burm. a. 6-7), scenes in Buddha's life (MS. Burm. a. 12), and elephants (MS. Burm. b. 4); a manuscript with a hundred watercolour drawings of scenes of Burmese life, in Burmese style with English explanations (MS. Burm. a. 5); Burmese letters, and works on palm-leaf.

Administrative / Biographical History

The manuscripts were obtained from several sources.

Access Information

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Acquisition Information

Acquired between 1886 and 1992.

Note

Collection level description created by Susan Thomas, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

Other Finding Aids

Some of the manuscripts are in Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series, with references to the oriental and other manuscripts (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vols. V-VI, nos. 29680, 29771, 30139, 30900, 31451, 31603, 31725, 31988-9, 32355, 32496, 32595, 32831, 32841, 32926, 33345, 33361, 33610-11, 33980.

The manuscripts are also summarily described in the card catalogue, arranged by language, located in the Oriental Reading Room.

Some of the manuscripts are described in Pe Maung Tin, 'Burma MSS in the Bodleian Library Oxford', Journal of the Burma Research Society, 15/2 (1982), pp. 145-7.