A Japanese team of researchers has found a painting that appears to describe the cosmology of Manichaeism, a religion that thrived mainly in Eurasia between the third and seventh centuries.

The painting, currently owned by an individual in Japan, measures 137.1 cm long and 56.6 cm wide, and depicts Manichaeism's cosmic view in vivid colors on a silk cloth.

The researchers, led by Yutaka Yoshida, a linguist and Kyoto University professor, said Sunday it is probably the only painting currently known that covers Manichaeism's cosmologic view in complete form.