Intact museum-quality 18^th century Mongolian Shamanic Costume

(comprising coat, head covering, boots and medicine pouch).

 This antique costume comprises the ritual clothing of a Mongolian shaman. As such it is an important cultural artefact that speaks to the sacred art history and spiritual traditions of Central Asia. The costume worn by the shaman plays an important defining role in shamanist practise and ritual. By wearing a costume, a shaman is reminded of his/her magical universe, and is helped to enter and become part of it.

 Shamanism refers to a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world.  The Mongolian shaman acts as an intermediary between the human world and the realm of gods, demons and the spirits of the ancestors. The function of the shaman can be performed by men and women alike. The costume shown here was almost certainly worn by a female shaman.

 Before Buddhism became widespread in Mongolia in the 13^th century, shamanism was predominant. It has succeeded in surviving through into the present day. As a practical belief system it has withstood the often profound social and political upheavals that characterise Mongolia's past. The distinguishing characteristic of shamanism is its focus on an ecstatic trance state. The soul of the shaman is believed to leave the body and ascend to the sky (heavens) or descend into the earth (underworld). The shaman makes use of spirit helpers, with whom he or she communicates, all the while retaining control over his or her own consciousness.

 Shamanic costumes are made from combinations of fur and fine silks, and hung with bells, bronze mirrors, strips of cloth, metal fetishes of animals and other spirits, shells, glass beads and other items they are both deeply symbolic of the shaman’s universe. The full costume on offer here is made up of three distinct parts - the mask or head covering, the coat or cloak, and the boots.

 Mask or head-covering

This costume includes a black feather headdress, with embroidered face-mask which looked into the spirit world and a leather fringe which would have shrouded the shaman's eyes from the mundane world in the trance state. The head-dress therefore played an important role in allowing the shaman to perceive the spirit world. In this costume, the feathers here are from the crow/raven and would have held particular significance to the original owner of this costume – as a totemic archetype crow are symbols of creation and spiritual strength.

Crow reminds us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive within our world everyday and available to us. They counsel with wisdom, they are resourceful they are vehicles for divination.

The coat or cloak

The fur-lined coat has several significant attributes – the rainbow streamers, the totemic embroidered flag on the reverse and the attached metal bells.

This shaman’s coat is made from animal hide with the fur still attached. Bird symbolism is a frequent feature of the design, and the rainbow coloured streamers that  hang down from the coat can be seen as wings or feathers with which the shamans flies – particularly where additional symbolism of "a rainbow bridge" is present. Attached to the back of the coat is a hand-embroidered flag with various animal silhouettes embroidered – presumably these represent various animals with which this shaman perceived a particular relationship as a source of power and identity.

 Boots and medicine bag

These boots are of reindeer skin – as is the medicine bag. The presence of this medicine bag suggests that this shaman may have had a particular role in healing and herbalism.