Hosted by the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center at the George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Global Equine Cultures roundtable brings together an interdisciplinary panel of distinguished professionals, emerging scholars and artists.

In a free virtual program, they will present new research examining the history of human-horse interaction as expressed in textiles. The program is scheduled for 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EST on February 26-27, 2026. To reserve your space, register in advance by clicking here.

Panelists will explore the subject across a variety of geographic and cultural perspectives. This roundtable complements the exhibition Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige. The roundtable is made possible through support from the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection Endowment.

About the exhibition

For millennia, horses have captivated humans with their beauty, strength and majesty. From Türkiye to Japan, civilizations have elaborately costumed these prized animals. In Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige, a magnificent selection of saddle blankets, horse covers and other equestrian textiles from the past 1,300 years communicates the significance and status of horses and their riders.

About the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center

The museum’s Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center is dedicated to textile research and houses the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection, which represents a lifetime of collecting by business leader and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen (1929-2017). One of the world’s most significant textile study collections, it comprises nearly 4,000 fragments dating from antiquity to the present, offering insights into human creativity around the world.

The museum’s address is 701 21st St. NW Washington, D.C. 20052. For more information, call (202) 994-5200 or email [email protected].

How to participate

This program is free and will take place online. To participate, please register in advance to reserve your space. Once you have registered, you will be emailed links and details for joining each day of the roundtable on Zoom. Registered participants will also be emailed a program with a detailed schedule.

Schedule

Thursday, February 26, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

10:00-11:00 a.m.

Welcome Remarks: Introduction to the Roundtable

“Splendid Horses: The Ancient History of Fancy Grooming and Tack“

Sandra L. Olsen, zooarchaeologist, previously University of Kansas, Kansas

“Ply-Split Braiding: Fly Fringes for Horses and Contemporary Basketry“

Helen Leaf, artist, United Kingdom

11:00-11:10 a.m.

*Break*

11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

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“Equestrian Chic: The Horse as Status Marker on Textile Garments“

Lonneke Delpeut, Ph.D. candidate, Egyptology, University of Vienna, AustriaWoven

“Legends: Equestrian Motifs on 20th-Century Japanese Propaganda Kimonos“

Methi Satyanarayana, M.A. Museum Studies, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

“Transcultural Interactions in Art: Re-examining Flying Horses Across Medieval Eurasia“

Yuxi Pan, Ph.D. candidate, History of Art and Archaeology, SOAS University of London

12:10 p.m.-12:30 p.m.

Q&A

Friday, February 27, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

10:00-11:15 a.m.

Welcome Remarks

“Charreria and Mexican Textiles“

Alejandro de Avila Blomberg, founding director of the Ethnobotanical Garden and curator at the

Oaxaca Textile Museum, Mexico

“Racing in Circles: The Palio di Siena and the Origins of Movement in Emilio Pucci’s Designs“

Eugenia Lollini, M.A. Museum Studies, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

“Riders, Weavers and Iconic Horses: Equine Imagery and Gendered Aesthetics in Sumba’s Textile and

Ritual Cultures“

Janet Alison Hoskins, professor of Anthropology and Religion, University of Southern California,

California

11:15-11:20 a.m.

*Break*

11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.

“Korean Horsehair Craft: History, Techniques and Applications“

Sim Yeon-Ok, honorary professor of Traditional Arts and Crafts, Korea National University of Cultural

Heritage, South Korea

“Reinterpreting a Yao Priest’s Hat“

Xuexin Liu, M.A. Museum Studies, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

“Hide and Cover“

Marianne Kemp, artist, the Netherlands

12:20-12:30 p.m.

Q&A