Tibetan saddle rug

As an equestrian culture, Tibetan saddle rugs are not uncommon. Some have wondered at what appears to be an unusual number of extant examples, and one writer offered they were occasionally made for the marriage ceremony as a woman would be escorted to her new husband’s home riding a horse with decorated saddlery. The central medallion on either side is flanked by stylized flowers with leaves as well as one butterfly(?). The appearance of flowers interspersed in the meandering T (or Greek key) outer border is a later feature, as is the paler palette, and undoubtedly this example dates to the late 19th century in spite of the older, rounded form. Most saddle rugs of this period do not have this shape.