hat; religious/ritual equipment BM-As1905-0518.4

Period:Unknown Production date:1905 (circa?)
Materials:silk, silver, turquoise, leather, gold, cotton,
Technique:macramé, damask, brocaded, plain weave,
Subjects:buddhism
Dimensions:Length: 68 centimetres Width: 31 centimetres

Description:
A monk / lama official’s hat; outdoor wear. Rectangular in shape, with a separate flap on each side, secured with small macrame knot and cloth loop. Made from yellow damask silk cloth. (chrysanthemum motifs on crown; key and fret patterning on inner side of flaps.) Silver (?) ‘finial’ / ‘button’ in the shape of a casket with two small turquoise (two missing). Outer flap covered in skin (fur missing). Covering back flap are two wide ‘streamers’ made from red/orange brocaded cloth with gold metal strip (large-scale chrysanthemum motifs). Hat lined with red tabby cotton cloth. Stitched to inside of hat is pink (safflower?) tabby cotton bag with drawstring at top, a travelling bag?
IMG


Comments:See: http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/ Paper label with object: ”Burga’, out-of-door hat of a monk official worn in winter when in attendance on the Dalai Lama. Purchased 1905′. The bag would be tucked into the hat’s crown for wear.