II.1. Stelae and accompanying structures: Funerary and non-funerary structures

Mokyok DoringMo kyog rdo ring

General site characteristics

Mokyok DoringMo kyog rdo ring is located in a valley called DoringRdo ring, a tributary of SalhéSa lhas, the valley that runs between old Oma’O ma and Bero TsetsoSbe ro rtse mtsho. All directions around the monument, except the west, are fairly open. In the west there is a mountain that bounds the DoringRdo ring valley. The terrain is slightly inclined to the south and is grassy and strewn with small rocks. The three pillars of the site are considered auspicious magical objects, however, religious observances at the site are light, reflecting the fact that there are few drokpa’brog pa families in the vicinity. The pillars and much of the enclosure are made of an unhewn gray rock.

Oral tradition

The local drokpa’brog pa families believe that the pillars of Mokyok DoringMo kyog rdo ring appeared with the emergence of existence (sipa chakpé doringsrid pa chags pa’i rdo ring), and that they are sky pillars (Namgyi Kawagnam gyi ka ba) linking the vertically aligned cosmos. Offerings of butter are made at this site in the summertime in order to dispel negative influences, and to increase the prosperity of the local residents and the well-being of the flocks of livestock.

Site elements

Enclosure

The enclosure is not well aligned in the cardinal directions. It measures 10.2 m (east-west) by 5.6 m (north-south) and many portions of its four walls are intact. These double-course slab walls are 45 cm to 70 cm thick and are composed of variable-length (20 cm to 90 cm long) stones. Some of these stones are level with the surface, but a significant number of them project as much as 40 cm above ground level. In the east wall of the enclosure there is a 35 cm long stone set perpendicular to the axis of the course. This threshold stone created a “portal” about 45 cm in width. There is no clear threshold stone still in place on the opposite side of the portal. In order to maintain a level interior, the south/upslope wall of the enclosure is generally level with the surrounding terrain while the north/downhill wall is elevated. The east and west walls of the enclosure are somewhat elevated as well.

Pillars

The three pillars stand 30 cm to 50 cm away from the inner edge of the west wall. These three slim stelae form a well centered row. The dimensions and shapes of the pillars are as follows:

South pillar: irregularly shaped (1.6 m [height] by 1.2 m [basal girth]).

Central pillar: irregularly shaped (1.1 m by 1m).

North pillar: irregularly shaped (1 m by 85 cm).

Funerary superstructures

A fragmentary slab-wall enclosure (3.3 m across) is situated 22 m northwest of the walled pillars. Nearby, in a functioning corral, there is an example of the same type of pillar (1.15 m long), which was probably uprooted from the monument a long time ago. Near this corral are traces of the walls of other funerary superstructures.