The illustration on this fragment of a Manichaean book represents the text, The Work of the Religion. Lay believers are shown providing food to Manichaean priests, the Elects, dressed in white. By consuming the food they liberate the light within it from captivity in darkness and send it to join the divine using their bodies: belching is a release of light. The divine hand is seen reaching to receive it in the 'ships of light'; the sun and the moon. These were originally painted in gold. The text is a Middle Parthian benediction on the sacred meal and the community leaders, and is written in a script developed by Mani for his own writings.
Ink, pigments & gold on paper
Museum für Indische Kunst, SMPK, Berlin, MIK III 4974