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Details

LOT 0949

Bactrian Manuscript Fragment of a Letter

LATE 6TH-EARLY 7TH CENTURY A.D.

4 1/4 in. (1.72 grams, 11 cm).

A fragment of a leather document, likely a letter, written in Avestan cursive script; folded. [No Reserve]

Provenance

Collection of Bruce Ferrini, USA.
Central London gallery, acquired c.1994.
Property of a UK collector.
For UK buyers only.

Footnotes

Damage to the centre; seemingly preserves the outer edges of a document written up to the edges of the sheet, was folded over and sealed. The letter comprised nine lines of text, of which significant proportions of the upper and lower three remain, while the middle three are less-well preserved. Beyond the damaged area would once have been a flap.

CONDITION

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AUCTIONS:

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LOT 0949

Bactrian Manuscript Fragment of a Letter

Sold for (Inc. bp): £104

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