Jeff Sun

I saw this post by Glenn Ross:

http://www.turkotek.com/misc_00114/tibetan.htm

I believe the straps which Glenn queries about are completely unrelated to anything Turkic. When I was in Lhasa there were many similar straps for sale, most of which were embroidered.

They were backpack straps for porters.

My guess is that Glenn's are the same: Same size, same width..not 40ft long Turkmen tent bands. If not porter straps, perhaps they might be similar straps for animals.

As we know Turkmen tent bands are really "Yurt Bands", used for holding together the lattice of a yurt. Tibetan nomads don't use yurts. They use black Yak hair tents....so no tent bands needed.

Richard Tomlinson

hi,

regarding bands or trappings (good ones), they seem very few and far between...

Finding a decent Tibetan band (something I have spent years looking for) is almost impossible.

and when (if) one does pop up, it is usually full of chemical dyes, or hideously ugly. now if i could find one like that on page 71 of the book 'Of Wool and Loom' i would be very very happy :-)

where are they? oh bands of quality .. show thy-selves !!!

richard tomlinson

Jeff Sun

Richard-

I see now that Glenn already ID'd them as bell straps.

Guess I missed that.

As for acquiring the straps themselves. I did occasionally see them in Beijing.... but not knowing what you consider ugly or pretty, I can't make any recommendations.

I CAN tell you that your Pema Chakdro khaden is lovely.