Runner

This refined Tibetan runner, likely dating from the late 20th century, is handwoven using hand spun wool sourced from the Tibetan Plateau. The silky lustre and fine quality of the fleece suggest the use of highland wool, prized for its softness, resilience, and sheen. Such runners were often created for monastic use—perhaps intended to line the periphery of an assembly hall or to grace the floor before an altar.
The warm terracotta field is rhythmically punctuated by three large, stylized floral medallions, each cantered with a cross-like motif that may allude to auspicious Buddhist symbols or mandalic structures representing harmony and balance. 
Surrounding each medallion are six cloud motifs—symbols often associated with the heavens, spiritual ascent, or the celestial realm—infusing the composition with a sense of sacred movement.
Along each of the long sides, opposing two half-medallion motifs extend beyond the central axis, rendered in softly modulated tones that lend depth, rhythm, and continuity to the overall design. The four corners are richly symbolic: they portray a vision of the universe, with stylized mountain and ocean motifs surmounted by clouds—a cosmological diagram rooted in Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Framing the field are two slender inner borders: one in a camel-cream tone, followed by a dark blue band adorned with the classic "string of pearls" motif—a protective and decorative element commonly found in Tibetan carpet weaving.
The outermost wide border features a sequence of stylized rosettes—three on each side—linked by scrolling foliate forms, creating a rhythmic and graceful frame that echoes the floral geometry of the central field.

Date: end of the 1800s-early 1900s 
Condition: very good condition, especially considering its age. No major repairs
Warp: hand spun wool
Weft: hand spun wool
Colours: red-rust/maroon/light-medium-dark indigo blue/off white-beige-cream/hues of green
Dimension: 66cm x 225cm (26 in × 88.6in)