Three Tibetan women at Dekyi Lingka party

Three Tibetan women at Dekyi Lingka party

1998.131.423 (Print black & white)

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Key Information

Photographer

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

October 3rd 1936

Region

Lhasa > Dekyi Lingka

Accession number

1998.131.423

Image Dimensions

112 x 159

Three young, aristocratic Tibetan women, close-up. Wearing brocade chuba, Lhasa head-dresses and jewellery, including large amulet boxes or gau at the neck, here tucked into their chuba. Note also beauty spots.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Date Acquired

Donated 1994

Donated by

Faith Spencer Chapman

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Previous Catologue Number

CX.30 [view film roll]

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.423

This Image also appears in another collection

2001.35.358.1

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'CX 30' has been written on the back of the print in pencil [MS 25/03/2006]

Manual Catalogues -


Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written list of negatives made whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936-7 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'Close up of chang girls faces' [MS 25/03/2006]

Other Information - Related Images


Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'CX' comprise a group of negatives containing images of Phendong and his house, grinding grain, officials (5th rank), Rupon, doctors, artists at work, official’s at Regent’s departure. They all seem to have been taken between October 2nd - 6th 1936, with this image being taken on October 3rd [MS 25/03/2006]

Other Information - Setting


Other Information - Setting: Mission Diary for October 3rd: "Today we gave the last of our big lunch parties. The guests were officials below the fourth rank. They were as easy to entertain as all our earlier guests and it was an enjoyable afternoon but we were all relieved to see the end of a week of parties" ['Lhasa Mission, 1936: Diary of Events', Part VII p. 2, written by Hugh Richardson]. See Bodleian Library Hugh Richardson Archive MS. Or. Richardson 3 folio 42 for a fuller description of this event.

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: Although Chapman and other Mission members often refer to young women who assisted at social events as 'Chang girls' whose job it was to pass out the alcohol, the high quality dress and expensive jewellery they are wearing demonstrates rather that they are the daughters of aristocratic families who have come along to assist with serving the guests. The women wear their amulets tucked inside their chuba because they are so heavy that they want to prevent the amulet moving around too much or breaking the silk string from which they are suspended. Sometimes beauty spots are made from a sticky gum, which is also supposed to be good for the skin and for health [TS 14/2/2005]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Three Tibetan women at Dekyi Lingka party" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.423.html>.

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