They used to write on sheets made out of palm leaves which had been previously dried, smoothed and smoked.

How it was made:

• Leave it to soak in the hot water spared from boiling rice.
• The fruits and branches left after the sifting are added to the water to change it into an acid liquid that will help us to decompose the outer layer of the Talipot palm leaves that will come off more easily.
• Then, the leaves are slowly cooked for 24 hours. At the end of the boiling process, they acquire a pale green colour.
• After that, they are sun dried and this material will be ready to write on.
• Once they had written on them (mainly the monks), they are treated in order to make them more durable.

The manuscripts on palm leaves deteriorate easily on tropical climate areas. That is why they were written on new ones any time it was necessary.