Parabaik


Parabaik is a type of paper, made of thick sheets of paper that are blackened, glued and folded together. Along with paper made from bamboo and palm leaves, parabaiks were the main medium for writing and drawing in early modern Burma/Myanmar.

History

There are two types of parabaiks: historically, black parabaiks were the main medium of writing while the white parabaiks were used for paintings and drawings. The extant black parabaiks consist of works of scientific and technical importance like medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, history, social and economic commentary, music, historical ballads, fiction, poetry, etc. The extant white parabaiks show colored drawings of kings and court activities, stories, social customs and manners, houses, dresses, hair styles, ornaments, &c. The majority of Burmese chronicles were originally written on parabaiks. A 1979 UN study finds that "thousands upon thousands" of rolls of ancient parabaiks were found across the country but the vast majority were not properly maintained.

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