Model of a Tibetan House

Well-to-do Tibetans live in houses like these. Houses are built on stone foundations with heavy slopping walls covered with whitewash. Most are two story structures around an open courtyard (not seen here) allowing families to use the open court as an extended living area. Flat roofs provide living and working space in fair weather. Notice the white chimney on the roof as well as the many colorful prayer flags. The houses are built facing south so that they can get the most sunlight to warm the rooms on the cold winter days in the Himalayan Mountains. Look at the front of the house to see the unique Tibetan painted wood trim and design around the windows and front entrance.

Inside the house, you see colorful chests and tables. The walls are decorated with bright colors and Tibetan designs. The main room and cooking area are on the first floor and the second floor is used for daily activities as well as a sleeping area.

Tibetan craftsmen at the Norbulinka Centre for the Arts in India made this model especially for The Newark Museum.

Tibetan Costume Figures

In Tibet, the making of costumed dolls was not a traditional art; it has, in exile, become a means of preserving and developing a multitude of traditional crafts we well as saving from oblivion a rich heritage of regional, monastic, ritual and traditional costume.

This is a Losel doll. The body frames are made of wire bent with players and wrapped in Tibetan paper. They are then stuffed with cotton and placed on a wooden frame. The result is a lightweight body which can be made to take up any posture. Clothes are easily adjusted and can be taken off if need arises for washing or cleaning. Faces and masks are made from a traditional mixture of clay and Tibetan paper. The features are, painted on, and the hair is human. Each doll is given an individual name.

Deer Dancer

The deer dance involved a frightened deer tamed by a famous 1lth century hermit saint. and poet, a dog and a hunter.

The deer appeared before the cave of the holy man, who was moved by compassion and whose words soothed the animal. An angry and growling dog came on the scene. Again the poet spoke soothing verses and the dog's anger was dispelled. A hunter then arrived and, enraged at the sight of the deer and the dog sitting peacefully with the poet shot an arrow at him which missed. The holy man then spoke the soothing words and the hunter, realizing the meaning of his words, developed great faith in the holy man and offered him his bow and arrows and became his disciple.