Gold, silver and jewels -the precious materials painted on the outer surface of this book cover- suggest the value associated with the text within. The stems of the lush scrolling vegetation are borne by deer, each wearing a golden collar. Fabulous kirttimukha masks guard the shorter borders. The precise, jewel-encrusted shapes and the rolling scroll work of this book cover recall similar patterns seen in other early Tibetan works of art. From Kharakhoto in Central Asia(1) to the Taglung monastery in Central Tibet, the gods and their thrones are adorned with such jewel motifs.(2)