Warriors of the Himalayas : rediscovering the arms and armor of Tibet : [catalogue publ. in conjunction with the exhibition Warriors of the Himalayas, on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, April 5 - July 2, 2006

"This volume is the first in-depth examination of the fascinating and virtually unknown subject of armor and weapons from Tibet. Not only the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism, one of the world's great religions, Tibet over the centuries was also the scene of dramatic artistic, cultural, and political developments involving Tibetan, Mongol, Chinese, Nepalese, and other Himalayan states." "Many of these cultures left behind evocative evidence of their presence and influence in the form of helmets, armor for men and horses, saddles, swords, archery equipment, and other arms, all of which are highly distinctive, with some even being unique examples of previously unknown types. Dating from the 13th to the 20th century, these objects include remarkable examples of pierced ironwork embellished with gold and silver, masterfully crafted swords and sword blades, and extremely rare examples of decorated leatherwork." "Warriors of the Himalayas explores each type in turn by presenting the finest and most unusual examples drawn from the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art with key loans from museums in the United States and the United Kingdom, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, and the British Museum." This fully illustrated catalogue features essays by leading scholars in the areas of Tibetan metalwork and iconography and includes the first glossary of Tibetan arms and armor terms, a selection of excerpts from some of the few surviving Tibetan texts relating to this subject, a bibliography, and an index. "This volume is the first in-depth examination of the fascinating and virtually unknown subject of armor and weapons from Tibet. Not only the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism, one of the world's great religions, Tibet over the centuries was also the scene of dramatic artistic, cultural, and political developments involving Tibetan, Mongol, Chinese, Nepalese, and other Himalayan states." "Many of these cultures left behind evocative evidence of their presence and influence in the form of helmets, armor for men and horses, saddles, swords, archery equipment, and other arms, all of which are highly distinctive, with some even being unique examples of previously unknown types. Dating from the 13th to the 20th century, these objects include remarkable examples of pierced ironwork embellished with gold and silver, masterfully crafted swords and sword blades, and extremely rare examples of decorated leatherwork." "Warriors of the Himalayas explores each type in turn by presenting the finest and most unusual examples drawn from the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art with key loans from museums in the United States and the United Kingdom, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, and the British Museum." "This fully illustrated catalogue features essays by leading scholars in the areas of Tibetan metalwork and iconography and includes the first glossary of Tibetan arms and armor terms, a selection of excerpts from some of the few surviving Tibetan texts relating to this subject, a bibliography, and an index."--BOOK JACKET This is the first in-depth examination of the fascinating subject of the armor and weapons of Tibet, a country that throughout the centuries was the scene of dramatic artistic, cultural, and political developments involving Tibetan, Mongol, Chinese, Nepalese, and other Himalayan states. Many of these cultures left behind helmets, armor for men and horses, saddles, swords, archery equipment, and other arms, some of which are unique examples of previously unknown types. Dating from the 13th to the 19th century, they include masterly examples of pierced ironwork embellished with gold and silver, skillfully crafted swords and sword blades, and extremely rare examples of decorated leatherwork. This richly illustrated book explores each type in turn and features essays by leading scholars. Also included is the first glossary of Tibetan arms and armor terms as well as a selection of excerpts from some of the few surviving Tibetan texts relating to this subject. Foreword Acknowledgments Lenders to the Exhibition A Note to the Reader about the Use of Tibetan Terms Map LaRocca : Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of Tibet Clarke : A History of Ironworking in Tibet: Centers of Production, Styles, and Techniques Heller : Armor and Weapons in the Iconography of Tibetan Buddhist Deities Jamspal : The Gonkhang, Temple of the Guardian Deities Catalogue Lamellar Armor and Helmets Helmets Shields Horse Armor Leather Armor Mail and Other Forms of Armor Swords Spears, Spearheads, and Miscellaneous Weapons Archery Equipment Firearms and Accessories Saddles and Tack, Stirrups, and Bridles Appendices Excerpts from A Treatise on Worldly Traditions Types and Subtypes of Swords, Helmets, and Armor Named in A Treatise on Worldly Traditions Tibetan-English Glossary of Arms and Armor Terms Radiocarbon Dating Results Bibliography Index The First In-depth Examination Of The Fascinating And Virtually Unknown Of Armor And Weapons From Tibet, Dating From The 13th To The 20th Century. Catalogue: Lamellar Armor And Helmets -- Helmets -- Shields -- Horse Armor -- Leather Armor -- Mail And Other Forms Of Armor -- Swords -- Spears, Spearheads, And Miscellaneous Weapons -- Archery Equipment -- Firearms And Accessories -- Saddles And Tack, Stirrups, And Bridles. Donald J. Larocca, With Essays By John Clarke, Amy Heller, And Lozang Jamspal. Catalog Of An Exhibition At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, Apr. 5-july 2, 2006. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 289-298) And Index. Includes Excerpts From A Text In Tibetan. Presents an in-depth examination of the subject of the armour and weapons of Tibet. This illustrated book explores each type in turn and features essays by leading scholars. It also includes the glossary of Tibetan arms and armour terms as well as a selection of excerpts from some of the few Tibetan texts relating to this subject.