The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-12-17


~ UT of Tibet the secret. re.
f mote and forbidding, there
FhI has come to us treasure
freight to which clings a
poignant and somewhat
/ sinister atmosphere IT orr.
entail mystery and barbar.
- ism. Once again has been
lifted little corner Of the vast curtain
OF silence behind which the strange
and colorful drama Of Tibet goes ON.
and We have been given vivid reve.
lation OF life In the secluded land.
Often before. missionaries returning
from far-off countries have brought
back costumes. weapons and imple-
ments which have thrown light on the
customs and culture Of the people who
mad made them. And now again q
mlssionary-Rev. II. b. Marx. for 16
years attached to a Moravian mission
on the Indian side of the Tibetan b0r-
der-brings such collection. large.
ana rich In variety and interest.
Through funds provided by J. r. Nor.
gan. the collection has been secured
for the American Museum of Natural
History. In New York city. and has
already been placed on exhibition and
examined by many visitors.
There are over 23O pieces In the
new Tfbetan collection. and they Gov.
er probably every phase Of the life OF
Tibet. There are native costumes
the mems consisting Of small hat
trimmed with artificial flowers, long
wooden gown. shawl and belt. coarse
wooden trousers and shoes with heav.
iiy-felted soles. The women's civil
dress Is much the same. but includes
great brass pins and silver filigree or.
naments set with turquoises and coral.
There are large earrings and finger
rings. also of silver and set with tur-
Quoises. The necklaces, made of very
large beads Of amber. coral aud tur-
quoise are worn as ornaments. but
have also a religious Significance, for
their col0rs are recognized as sym.
bolical. In some parts of Tibet there
are three. IN other parts Ave colors
recognized as symbols; yellow for the
earth, blue for the water. red for light
and warmth. green for the wind and
white for the clouds or heaven.
Masks Of Devil Dancers.
The five colors IRE used in the elah.
crate costumes Of the "devil dancers"
and in the masks used in the cere.
monies for driving away demons. OF
these. "Todgam," the five-skull mask.
is especially celebrated and sacred
Tie five skulls surrounding the mask
are supposed to be the skulls of slain
enemies, trophies Of the devil dancer.
who represents warrior of the old
Tibetan mythology. Also Of great re.
iigiOus Significance are the "dor1e" and
the "dorje purbu," representing the
thuntlerbOlt. These are powerful
weapons for the exorcism of demons.
They are hurled into the ground by
the lamas. or holy men,. to whom they
are the most sacred and revered Of
all religious objects.
Regalia made Of human bones.
carved deliberately: "potted lamas."
made Of clay and crushed lama bones
fantastic rOsaries Of shell; amulets
and charms against bad dreams and
fears In the dark. sickness, and the
snow-leopard and wolf: prayer-wheels
and sheaves Of prayer-leaves; Bud.
dhist idols: dice for use in divination /:
sacred temple banners-these are
among the religious objects collected
by Mr.. Marx. Supplemented by what
we know Of Tibetan religious prac.
tices, they invoke a striking picture
of the sacred temples. the pilgrimages
and sacrifices, the self-inflicted NOR.
titications. and the great religious
in which the lamas. liv.