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2018.220.3

Red monk's hat [COB 13/9/2018]

2018.220.3

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Collection type
Object
Description
Red monk's hat [COB 13/9/2018]
Long description
Red monk's pointed wool hat with ear side flaps worn by monk/lama. The hat is rounded in shape, tapering up to a small point, with the ear flaps (or lappets) falling below the shoulders. The edges are piped with beige (faded) woven cotton cloth. There is no inner lining. [COB 13/9/2018]
Geographical reference
Tibet
Asia > Eastern Asia > Tibet
Person
Field collector John Driver
PRM source John Driver
Date
Date collected
by 1959
Acquisition information
Donated: 20/03/2018
Materials and processes
Material Wool Textile Animal, Material Wool Yarn Animal, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Textile Plant, Process Stitched, Process Dyed, Process Woven
Dimensions
Diameter: max 284 mm, Height: max 572 mm including ear flaps
Object numbers
Accession number: 2018.220.3
Research and responses

The red dye for the wool is likely to be from madder roots or Bhutanese insects. This information is from: http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat6/sub35/entry-4437.html . Julia Nicholson's notes indicate the hat may be from the Nyingma Sect. This is the oldest major school of Tibetan Buddhism.The hat appears to be a Pandita Hat. This is the most common style of hat and is believed to have originated in India in its earliest form. The hat has a rounded shape which tapers upwards to a small or steep point (in this example it is a small point). It covers both ears at the sides with long lappets which fall over the shoulders. The Lappets are sometimes pinned behind the back and in the Sakya tradition they can be pulled across the crown of the head and pinned together, creating a triangular banded appearance at the front of the hat. This is because in Sakya tradition the lappets are thought to be a nuisance when a teacher is performing an initiation ceremony. The Pandita hat is common amongst all the Buddhist traditions and schools. It is the main type of head covering for the Sakya, Shangpa, Jonang, and Gelug traditions. It is only worn by monks and signifies an advanced level of education. For all the traditions the hat is most frequently red. This information is from: https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=3826

[COB 13/9/2018]

Search terms: Clothing Headgear, Religion, Hat, Headgear, Religious Object