Tibetan Thangka Verso with Consecration Inscription of Maitreya Buddha

This item is the verso (reverse side) of a traditional Tibetan Thangka painting, crafted on a tightly woven cotton or linen fabric canvas. The surface displays a distinct aged patina with yellowed tones and visible moisture staining, or perhaps intentional pigment application, in shades of purple and ochre. Centrally located are five vertical characters in red cinnabar ink, likely representing the sacred 'Om Ah Hum' syllables used for spiritual activation. Below these syllables are four lines of cursive Uchen or Umê Tibetan script, which typically contain mantras or dedicatory prayers specific to the deity depicted on the front—identified here as Maitreya, the future Buddha. The fabric shows significant wear, including horizontal creasing, minor fraying at the edges, and surface abrasions consistent with a late 19th to early 20th-century origin. The presence of these hand-written inscriptions indicates the piece underwent a formal consecration ritual by a lama, marking it as a genuine liturgical object rather than a purely decorative tourist item. The textile's coarse texture and the hand-applied nature of the pigments suggest traditional Himalayan craftsmanship and long-term devotional use.