An untitled, handwritten Tibetan text (pecha) in "headed" Tibetan dbu chen (Uchen) script, with a small section written in "headless" Tibetan dbu med (Umé) script. A book constructed from sheets of handmade paper 26 x 9 cm, stitched together with thread. The whole text is bound in red cloth which is disintegrating. The text includes Sidpa chhag rab, an explanation of the origins of the world / the genesis of worldly existence (tib. སྲིད་པ་ཆགས་རབ wylie. srid pa chags rab) and of the stones called Tho (tib. ཐོ or མཐོ་ wylie. tho or mtho, meaning a cairn or an altar of piled up stones). This text is recited prior to the performance of the Tho competition and songs. The Tho stones are an important element of large Spiti weddings. 80 stones are gathered and arranged into groups and are the setting for a competition between a party of singers representing the bride (the nang nyawa or inside singers) and party of singers representing the groom (the chi nyawa or outside singers) Each party is led by a nyahon. One by one, following the successful answering of questions or riddles, each pile of stones is kicked over.
Extent: One book consisting of 27 folios.
Size and dimensions of original material: Each folio is 26 cm x 9 cm. Condition of original material: Handwritten in black ink. Discoloration of page edges and substantial wear and tear, related to age and usage. Heavy staining and marks on most pages. Some tearing too. However the text is mainly legible throughout.Custodial history: Phuntsog Namgyal from Kibber is the current owner of the material. His father Nawang Dorje was a famous nyahon (singer of traditional Spiti songs, especially weddings songs) in Kibber as was his grandfather Sonam Tseten. The material is no longer in use, the lineage has died out.Arrangement: The Collection of Spiti song texts was held in a plastic carrier bag. There was no order to the separate texts or system of classification. The precise country of origin is unknown. However it is almost certain that the original text was created in Tibet, though the specific material in question may have been copied locally in Spiti (India) at a later date
