Tibetan Annals

First page of Pelliot Tibétain 1288
Paul Pelliot examines manuscripts in cave 17

The Tibetan Annals or Old Tibetan Annals (OTA) are composed of two manuscripts written in Old Tibetan language found in the early 20th century in the "hidden library" in the Mogao Grottoes near Dunhuang in northwestern Gansu province, Western China, which is believed to have been sealed in the 11th century CE. They form Tibet's earliest extant history.[1]

The two manuscripts are known as the "civil" and "military" versions of the Annals.[2] The "civil" version is designated IOL Tib J 750 in the British Library in London and Pelliot tibétain 1288 in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris; both are originally from the same original roll, 4.34 metres long and 0.258 metres wide.[3] The "civil" version covers the years 650–748 with some gaps.[4] The "military" version is designated Or.8212/187 and is also held at the British Library. This version is much shorter and covers the years 743–765 with some gaps.[4]

  1. ^ Dotson (2009), p. 9.
  2. ^ Dotson (2009), p. 14
  3. ^ Bacot, Thomas and Toussaint. (1940-1946), pp. 9–12.
  4. ^ a b Dotson 2009, p. 15