Chinese traditional, Ancient china, Mandarin Gown

Fig. 1: Looking down at a roof,
Black Rock 
In August and September of 1998 I discovered a series of pre-Buddhist archaeological sites in the western Tibet province of Ngari (mNga’ ris) (1). Located in close proximity to what had been important prehistoric sources of fresh water, these ancient sites include burial mounds, villages and ceremonial structures. Situated at 4500 meters in the Changthang (Byang thang), the vast northern plains of Tibet, these finds significantly add to our knowledge of Tibet before the spread of Buddhism in the 7th to 11th centuries.

Until I began systematic exploration of Changthang, more than ten years ago, little was known about the character of its ancient civilization. In that time, I have charted dozens of sites spread over 400, 000 square kilometers, documenting the existence of the legendary Zhang zhung kingdom. Zhang zhung, according to classical Tibetan texts, was a powerful nation which dominated the Tibetan plateau before being conquered by the central Tibetan Pugyal (sPu rgyal) dynasty in the 7th or 8th century (2). Textual sources aside, there was little evidence for Zhang zhung before I began my work.
Fig. 2 Black Rock
My findings demonstrate that rather than merely pursuing a nomadic way of life the people of Zhang zhung built settlements in many locations in the Changthang. This is remarkable in that until the Communist period the overwhelming majority of shepherds lived in tents and not permanent structures.

Earlier in the century, Western scholars did some pioneering work as have Chinese archaeologists more recently. In the 1920’s, the Central Asiatic Expedition of George Roerich uncovered megalithic sites and graves in the Changthang, which appeared to be typologically related to the Bronze Age and Iron Age barrows of Eurasia (3). In the 1940’s, the renowned tibetologist Professor Tucci advanced archaeology further by discovering the remains of pre-Buddhist temples at Khyung Lung Ngulkhar (Khyung lung dngul mkhar)(4). Since the 1970’s, Chinese scientists have discovered Neolithic tools and paintings at a variety of places in the Changthang (5). Work continues and, on the 19th of September, 1998, the Lhasa branch of the Xinhua news agency announced that the Chinese had uncovered fortresses, settlements and wall paintings in Ngari province at an elevation of 4000 meters.

Fig. 3 Black Rock
In 1998, travelling alone and on foot, I charted and photographed the ruins of three pre-Buddhist villages, a large cemetery and two sites called Monra (Enclosure of the Mon). Monpa is a generic term for inhabitants of the Himalayan rimland, and these later discoveries seem to allude to ancient contacts between peoples of both sides of the Himalaya (6). The three prehistoric villages are located in such remote locations that only a handful of nomads who actually graze animals in the vicinity know of their existence. As these villages belong to an almost extinct indigenous cultural tradition local shepherds (called drokpa \ ’brog pa) have scant knowledge of when these settlements were founded. In general, they affirm that the inhabitants practiced Bon. It is known that Bon, the indigenous religions of Tibet, held sway in the country until the introduction of Buddhism in the 7th to 11th centuries. Tibetologists are hopeful that these ancient Bon settlements will reveal much about early Bon traditions. The cemetery I discovered has been long forgotten by the local shepherds but nevertheless may prove very valuable as scientists probe the secrets of ancient Tibet.