Page from the Avesta

This manuscript page is from the Avesta, the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism.
This copy dates to the 13th century CE and is written on paper, reflecting the developed manuscript culture of medieval Central Asia.
The Avesta is among the oldest religious corpora in the world. Its core texts were composed during the 1st millennium BCE, while the surviving manuscripts represent later copies produced by scribes who carefully preserved the sacred tradition.
The text is written in the Avestan script, a specialized writing system devised to render the sacred language with precision. In Zoroastrian ritual practice, exact pronunciation was essential, as the text was recited during liturgical ceremonies.
Such manuscripts were used in temple worship and clerical instruction. This page attests to the continuity of spiritual and written traditions in Central Asia across many centuries.