People riding in a howdah (elephant carriage) through town

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A howdah is a carriage seat, usually fitted with a canopy and railing, mounted on the back of an elephant. The howdahs used for royal ceremonies and military battles were often elaborately decorated and ornamental.

Source for information about the object depicted in the image: Delaporte, Louis and Francis Garnier. A Pictorial Journey on the Old Mekong: Cambodia, Laos and Yunnan. Transl. Walter E.J. Tipps. Bangkok: White Lotus, 1998. Originally published in F. Garnier, Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine (Paris, 1885).

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