Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Metal statues are traditionally sculpted in wax and then covered in clay. When the clay
is dry it is heated. The wax melts and is removed, leaving a mould that can be filled with
molten metal. Statues are generally then gilded and painted.
Sculptures are most commonly made from bronze or stucco mixed with straw, but can
even be made out of butter and tsampa, mounted on a wooden frame.
Lhasa's old town is stuffed with traditional workshops. Dropenling runs a two-hour walking
tour of several old town artisans.
Handicrafts
A burgeoning economy in Lhasa has fuelled a real growth in traditional crafts in recent
years, though these are partially for the Chinese tourist market.
Tibet has a 1000-year history of carpet making; the carpets are mostly used as seat cov-
ers, bed covers and saddle blankets. Knots are double tied (the best carpets have 100 knots
per square inch), which results in a particularly thick pile. Tibet's secret carpet ingredient
is its particularly high-quality sheep wool, which is hand spun and coloured with natural
dyes such as indigo, walnut, madder and rhubarb. Tibetan cashmere goat's wool and ante-
lope wool are also in great demand. Gyantse and Shigatse were the traditional centres of
carpet production, although the modern industry is based almost exclusively in Tibetan ex-
ile communities in Nepal.
Inlaid handicrafts are common, particularly in the form of prayer wheels, daggers, butter
lamps and bowls, although most of what you see these days in Lhasa is made by Tibetan
communities in Nepal. Nomads in particular wear stunning silver jewellery; you may also
see silver flints, horse tack, amulets known as
gau,
and ornate chopstick and knife sets.
Tibetan singing bowls, made from a secret mix of seven different metals, are a medita-
tion device that originated from pre-Buddhist Bön practices. The bowls produce a 'disas-
sociated' mystic hum when a playing stick is rotated around the outer edge of the bowl.
Woodcarving is another valued handicraft, used in the production of brightly coloured
Tibetan furniture and window panels, not to mention wood-print blocks.
