Magzor Gyalmo, Queen Who Repels Armies

Magzor Gyalmo (Mongolian: Chog tegulder okin tngri), Queen Who Repels Armies, is a wrathful emanation of the goddess Sarasvati and the special protector of the Dalai Lamas.

Mongolians became especially known for their large appliqués, examples of which can reach several stories tall. Scraps of multicolored Chinese silks in various patterns were cut to shape and cleverly integrated into a complex rendering. A variety of embroidery stitches and gold couching (gold-wrapped horsehair fastened to the appliqué with small stitches at regular intervals) delineate the details. Especially distinctive of Mongolian appliqué are tiny seed pearls and small coral beads stitched onto the textile surface. In general, sacred textiles such as this were designed by monks for important ritual occasions, and they were stitched mostly by women.