this is a very beautiful early tibetan monastic bench cover warp-faced-back rug with uncommon single row of large squares. it is in very good condition with super natural colors; strong attrativ red, abrashed greens and yellows. both ends are original, the back is nicely patinated and has been overcasted long time ago by a strip of very fine grey wool cloth (see details pics). the long blue fringes on the four edges are worn down to the pile height of the rest of the rug, but on a closely look even lower. as this colors is not corrosiv like seen on the rest of the rug, it is possible that the field of the rug was covered for very long time by another weaving and almost only the apparent fringes were exposed to the regulary contact with the monks goin up and down from the bench.this could also explane its good condition. on the edge at one end and in the field there is some brown wool which originally was a natural brown overdyed with indigo. please note the different size of the squares and how the middle points vary in size and form from squares to narrow rectangles. at both end the single greek key change its direction through a double key. it is 320x 73cm, the longest square is 20cm long. mid 19th century or before.a very similar rug but smaller was in the collection of bill lyske. they could have possibly originated from the same monastery.