Meditation mat with archaic Mandala, Tibet, circa 1850, 62 x 61 cm (24.5 x 24 inches) Tibetan rugs with thick squarish knots and a brilliant palette are considered among the earliest, often referred to in Tibet as Gyantse. Here we see a centralised green archaic mandala on a purple background surrounded by stylised cloudbands. The silky Himalayan wool emphasizes the quasi-sculptural quality of the composition.