Workshop on Tibetan Seals

In order to carry legal weight, Tibetan-language documents required a seal impression as a widely recognised means of authentication. In many cases, the seal impression alone conveyed information about the issuer of a document — it is therefore no surprise that seals were held in high esteem in Tibet. Beyond their practical functions, the history, scripts, and languages of seal impressions on Tibetan-language documents vividly reflect the diverse political, legal, and cultural influences that shaped Tibetan societies through the ages. This is particularly true of seals representing authority. Expanding our knowledge of seals and sealing practices in Tibet thus makes a significant contribution to historical research.

This workshop on Tibetan seals, led by Professor Peter Schwieger, is structured in two parts. The first hour will be devoted to a presentation of the history of Tibetan seals and their study, alongside his latest work, New Light on Old Seals From Tibet: A Study of One Hundred and One Official Seals from the Thirteenth to the Twentieth Century (CrossAsia, Open Access, 2025). The following two hours will be dedicated to a practical and interactive session, with a particular focus on the Phakpa seals of the Ganden Phodrang period and government, their use in diplomatic documents, and approaches to their reading and analysis.

Jeudi 11 juin 2026 14h00-17h00

Salle du rdc, Maison de l’Asie, 22, avenue du Président Wilson, 75016 Paris

L’atelier se déroulera en anglais et est ouvert à tous sur inscription préalable (alice.travers@college-de-france.fr)