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Four Matching Elements of Horse Armor
Tibetan or Mongolian, 15th–17th century
Leather, iron, brass or copper alloy, gold, shellac, pigments, textile, hair
A.1909.407A, H. 18¼ in. (46.4 cm), W. 25 in. (63.5 cm);
A.1909.407B–C, H. 29 in. (73.7 cm), W. 30 1/8 in. (76.5cm);
A.1909.407D, H. 24¼ in. (61.5 cm), W. 25¾ in. (65.5 cm)
Royal Museum, Edinburgh, on loan courtesy of the National Museums of Scotland
cat. no. 32

These elements are notable for their good condition and high quality, indicated by the well-made and carefully assembled lamellae and by the fine decoration of the lower borders of gilded and varnished leather. They consist of a peytral (breast defense), right and left crupper panels to protect the horse's hindquarters, and a tailpiece to protect the area around and below the tail. The rows of lamellae and borders of decorated leather are backed by a layer of felt, have a fringe of red yak hair and textile lappets, and are lined with a heavy cotton or linenlike fabric. The overall gold ground of the borders suggests that the entire ground is covered with gold leaf (as opposed to the Metropolitan Museum's examples in the two adjacent cases, in which the gold designs appear to be cut patterns of gold leaf). The four Edinburgh pieces have the same interesting provenance as the lamellar armor displayed in the first gallery (cat. no. 1), also having been acquired in Tibet by F. M. Bailey, probably while he was serving as the British trade agent stationed at Gyantse from 1905 to 1909.

all text & images © Metropolitan Museum of Art


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