Hanging scrolls produced in the Himalayan region which depict Buddhist themes and are used for ritual purposes are often transliterated into English as thang-ka from the Tibetan word for "picture." The tradition of producing thangkas appears to have begun as early as the eighth century and is recognized as one of the distinctive art forms of Buddhism. In Tibetan, such scrolls are also known as sku-thang. Thang loosely translates as "level," "plain," or "clear," while sku can be rendered as "body." Read together, the literal meaning behind thang-ka can be roughly read ad "physical manifestation of the Buddha." As such, the image of the Buddha is equated with the Buddha himself and thus commands the same respect and reverence from the faithful. In its most general terms, the thang-ka is a two-dimensional rendering in art of specific figures and subjects in Buddhism found in Tibet. The distinctive and precise style of outline painting is evident in the creation of the composition, the application of colors, and the use of brush strokes. The format of the thang-ka is similar to that of the hanging scroll in Chinese painting. It is composed of a work mounted onto a scroll that is framed in fabric along all sides and can thus be displayed on a wall or rolled up for storage. The thang-ka, however, is not identical to the hanging scroll painting, for it incorporates elements of both painting and decorative art. The core of the thang-ka, in fact, may be a wood-block print, tapestry, embroidery, brocade, or applique. The variety of materials is one of the unique features of the thang-ka and one reason why the word is rendered phonetically from Tibetan rather than translated literally. Of the scrolls made from different materials, the painted thang-ka is the one with the longest history. However, due to the nature of the ground and pigments used, it is also one of the most easily damaged and subject to deterioration, resulting in few that have survived from its early history. The conservation of thang-kas is thus an important concern in the preservation of the art, but it is only one of several topics touched upon by the author in the present article. Art conservation must begin with understanding the context and process in which the object is made. The author of the present article has based her study on the observations of the creation of and examination of thang-kas produced in the regions of Tibet, northern India, and Bhutan, as well as in the West, and has also consulted some of the latest findings by Western and Eastern scholars on the subject. Western concern for the conservation of the thang-kas has increased over the past few decades as more and more thang-kas, originally made and preserved in their original environment in the Himalayan regions for centuries, have made their way into Western collections. The traditional method of conservation found in the original context differs from the Western approach, which has done little until recently to enhance the understanding of the tradition behind, technical aspects of, and preservation of thang-kas. To make matters worse, previous efforts at retouching and conservation have sometimes led to even further deterioration. The author suggests to remedy the current situation by presenting information on the creation, storage, restoration, and conservation of thang-kas, in the process hoping that such knowledge will lead to greater understanding of the art of thang-ka painting. The present study may thus be consulted by conservation experts, scholars, and connoisseurs involved in the care and study of painted thang-kas.