Key Information

Photographer

Hugh E. Richardson

Collection

Hugh Richardson

Date of Photo

March 13th 1939

Region

Lhasa > Trapshi

Accession number

2001.59.1.13.1

Image Dimensions

58 x 55 mm

A Yaso commander on horseback at the head of cavalry riders carrying weapons and standards and a few junior officials leading them with crowd looking on at the Trapshi Tsisher. There is a tressel table and a smaller table in front of the riders on which a ritual vase and a collection of packages containing silk, cloth and tea for the Yaso and other officials are placed.

Further Information

Activity

Riding , Ritual Activity

Photographic Process

Negative film nitrate

Date Acquired

Donated August 2001

Donated by

The executors of the estate of Hugh E. Richardson

Expedition

Hugh E. Richardson

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Notes on negative album - '1' 'Chipsha: Dzonggyab [rdzong rgyab]: Torgyap [gtor rgyag] ----- [illegible]' is written in white in Richardson's hand. Notes inside negative album: white label with Richardson's name and address in St. Andrews. [KC 8/7/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Notes on negative index - Folio 10. 'GRWA BZHI RTSIS BSHER' [sic.]; [ Trapshi Tsisher (gra phyi rtsis bsher) Review at Trapshi] [KC 8/7/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Richardson's hand list: Negative album No.1 'New Year Ceremonies at Lhasa' [nos. 1 -16] ' The Grwa bzhi (or Phyi) bsher [typed and] 'Rtsis bsher' handwritten in Richardson's hand. "This is a review of the rta-dmag , the old feudal cavalry of whom each noble family had to provide a detachment. It takes place on the sandy plain near the army barracks at Grwa-bzhi on the 23rd of the Tibetan 1st month.
Nos . 13-16. More of the different detachment'. [KC 15/7/2006]

Other Information - Background: See Hugh E. Richardson, Ceremonies of the Lhasa Year , 1993, London: Serindia Publications, pp 31-37 for a description of the preparations and the actual day of the Review at Trapshi. The cavalry wear "chain-mail, much of it mere remnants, steel breast plates, steel helmets with brocade lappets and peacock plumes, heavy cloth trousers decorated with blue devices, and special boots. ..." (p. 34) "When it [the Review] is all over there is a wholesale distribution of scarves to the participants and a stack of packages is arranged in front of the Kashag's tent containing presents of silk, cloth and tea for the Yaso and other officials." (p.37) [KC 15/7/2006]

Other Information - Dates

Other Information - Dates: This photograph was probably taken in 1939 as Richardson used a Reflex Korelle camera to take the image and he did not acquire this until 1938. He was not present in Lhasa for the New Year ceremonies in 1938, although he was there in 1939 [MS 16/12/2005]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Yaso commander and cavalry riders at Trapshi Tsisher" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.59.1.13.1.html>.

For more information about photographic usage or to order prints, please visit the The Pitt Rivers Museum.