The decorative Lantsa script (also referred to as Lantsha, Lentsa, Lanca, Lanydza, or Rañjanā) is an ancient writing system that originated in India and is derived from Guptan Brahmi. It developed during the eleventh century and has been in use for many generations in India, Nepal (by the 'Newar people'), Tibet, Bhutan, the Himalayan region, and Mongolia. Tibetans and Bhutanese use Lantsa specifically for writing book titles of religious and literary texts that have been translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan, and also for ornamental wood engravings, inscriptions and paintings of Buddhist seed syllables, mantra’s or mandala's in temples, monasteries, stupa’s, palaces and dzongs.