various witches - (DEMONS AND WITCHCRAFT) Magical Manuscript for the Evocation of Demons and Spirits - 1699

Elegitur presents exclusively: Manuscript of Magic and Witchcraft for the evocation of Demons and Spirits

This is a rare manuscript made on mulberry paper in an accordion format (parabaik), typical of the Burmese-monastic tradition. The accordion paper support allows a sequence of illustrated panels and sacred texts, alternated according to a visual and ritual arrangement. The text is written in Burmese characters (Mon-Burmese script) and accompanies rich iconography: astrological diagrams, yantra or protective squares, magical symbols, anthropomorphic figures, animals (including elephants), and supernatural beings, often labeled with syllables and numbers that serve talismanic or divinatory functions.

The manuscript is illustrated and decorated with natural pigments and ink, a testament to refined craftsmanship and a specialized ritual function. The figures and diagrams not only illustrate the text but also 'embody' it, making the object not just a written document but also an esoteric, operational artifact.

Cultural context and ritual function
Known examples of Burmese parabaik ('folding book manuscripts') show how this format was used not only for chronicles but also for cosmologies, astrological treatises, and rituals. According to the catalog of the U Pho Thi Library, which collects parabaik and palm leaf manuscripts, the Burmese-monastic tradition also includes specialized texts on divination and protection.

In this case, the combination of elements—text in Burmese, astrological and protective diagrams, illustrations with animals and magical beings—suggests that the object was intended for use by monks, astrologers, or ritual specialists in Myanmar. The use of figures and elephants, along with numerical and syllabic diagrams, refers to a tradition—still known today in the Burmese regions—of ritual protection, astrological calculation, and 'protective' magic.

In particular, the accordion format allowed for ritual consultation: opening the manuscript reveals illustrated panels that visually 'open' the ritual pathway, alternating with the text that comments on or guides it. This makes the object not only a document but also an operational tool.