Most Tibetan temples and a few grand homes (in former times) had a special chapel devoted to the fierce protector gods who watched over the building and its inhabitants. These gods have a very specific and distinctive imagery associated with them, including offerings of corpses, skeletons and body parts. This imagery is derived from Indian tantric Buddhism, which was partly formulated by sages who preferred to meditate in cremation grounds to help them learn to disassociate from material things.

Tibetan gonkhang usually have a decorated doorway, which may be a painted door or may be covered by an applique textile or a woven carpet such as this one. This particular rug has a skeleton in the center and offerings of skulls and severed heads around, all characteristic of gonkhang designs. There are also crossed dorjes (visvavajra), symbols of enlightened understanding.

The carpet is in good condition, due in part to being used as a door covering rather than a seating carpet. It was woven in the first half of the 20th century, with wool pile on a cotton warp foundation.