Tibetan Tiger Rug/Carpet Stripe Orange Skin Pelt Nepal Tibet Nepali Meditation

Available for purchase are extremely rare Tibetan tiger rugs in three sizes. These carpets are made in 100% wool with 100 knots/inch. They are hand-made by Tibetan & Nepali craftsman in Kathmandu, Nepal using a special Tibetan knot & take over a month to be created. These are full pieces & refereed to as fat tigers because the pelts go all the way to the border. The tiger is a protector spirit in Himalayan culture. Real skins were used for meditation mats, wrapping sutra boxes, or hung on temple doors to warn off demons. Unfortunately, the tiger's prized pelt let to its demise in the wild during 19th century British Raj. Today, rug weaving has replaced the real skins & remain popular with both local culture & foreign collectors.. Tibetan tiger rugs largely remain a mystery as to their original use, iconography, & tradition. It wasn't until 1979 that they first appeared in the Western world, quickly capturing the attention of rug collectors & scholars. Very few antique rugs have been catalogued with most of them in the hands of museums & private collections. Luckily some did survive & have provided the basis for Tibetan craftsman to revive the making of these beautiful carpets. The political problems in Tibet have moved refugees into Nepal where they continue the centuries old hand-weaving practice. Even so, production is limited. We are happy to offer these stunning rugs to a wider audience. Your purchase directly impacts the rug community & craftsman working to make these. The rugs are produced with both vegetable dyes & environmentally friendly Azo-free dyes. They are handmade, so there can be a few inches variation in size. Some slight color hue variation will also be seen. The rugs are shipped from either Kathmandu, Nepal or our location in the USA using a trackable courier service. Rugs are tracked & delivered quickly, usually in 5-10 days from dispatch for Western countries. Some locations will take longer. Please allow a few days lead time to pack your item securely. Tibetan Tiger Rug/Carpet Stripe Orange Skin Pelt Nepal Tibet Nepali Meditation