Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

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

Takpur Doring’Thag phur rdo ring

Basic site data

• Site name: Takpur Doring’Thag phur rdo ring
• English equivalent: Weaving Stakes Long-stones
• Site number: C-109
• Site typology: II.1b, II.2b
• Elevation: 4670 m
• Administrative location (township): BaryangBar yangs
• Administrative location (county): Drongpa’Brong pa
• Survey expedition: HTCE
• Survey date: April 27, 2002
• Contemporary usage: Light grazing.
• Identifiable Buddhist constructions: Small manima ṇi wall.
• Maps: UTRS XI, HAS C6
• View Place Dictionary Entry
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General site characteristics

The walled pillar monument of Takpur Doring’Thag phur rdo ring is located near the south edge of the TsachuTshwa chu basin. Just south of the site stands an isolated white ridge called Drilkhul DeupoSbril khul rde’u po (sp.?). The holy mountain, Lönpo GangriBlon po gangs ri, is visible 90 km to the east. The terrain is level, sandy and gravelly. The pillars and stones of the enclosure are made of a blue-gray rock, many pieces of which have weathered to a tawny hue. In addition to the walled pillars, there is a quadrate double-course funerary enclosure at Takpur Doring’Thag phur rdo ring.

Oral tradition

In this region (BaryangBar yangs), sites such as Marbuk DoringDmar sbug rdo ring are commonly associated with the primordial epoch and the MönMon tribe of ancient times.

Site elements

Enclosure

The double-course enclosure contains both upright and flush stones. Although the enclosure is fragmentary, parts of all four double-course walls have survived. It measures 4.7 m (north-south) by 10.3 m (east-west). This robustly built structure is somewhat elevated above the surrounding plain. The enclosure does not appear to have been well aligned in the cardinal directions. The uncut blocks and slabs of the walls are primarily 20 cm to 40 cm in length. In the east wall (60 cm thick) of the enclosure, the largest stone is 60 cm long and protrudes 25 cm above the ground surface. Also, in the east wall there is a slab (45 cm long, 5 cm thick) that runs perpendicular (east-west) to the axis of the course. This “portal” stone protrudes 8 cm from the ground and is situated 1.45 m from the northeast corner of the enclosure. A south wall segment is 80 cm thick and is elevated 30 cm above the surface. This elevated segment appears to consist of several vertical courses of blocks laid on top of one another. The north wall (60 cm thick) is the most intact in the enclosure; about 50 percent of it has survived intact. The upright stones in the north wall are elevated around 10 cm above ground level. A small section of the west wall has also endured. A tiny wall with two plaques engraved with the manima ṇi mantra was installed inside the enclosure.

Pillars

Six of the seven pillars of Takpur Doring’Thag phur rdo ring form an uneven row situated 60 cm to 80 cm from the inner edge of the west wall of the enclosure. From south to the north, the pillars have the following dimensions and characteristics:

1. Long-stone DR1: irregularly shaped (45 cm [height] by 60 cm [basal girth]). This specimen is offset from the main row of pillars.
2. Long-stone DR2: irregularly shaped (35 cm by 45 cm).
3. Long-stone DR3: four-sided (35 cm by 60 cm).
4. Long-stone DR4: four-sided, probably broken (45 cm by 65 cm).
5. Long-stone DR5: four-sided (1.1 m by 1.3 m).
6. Long-stone DR6: four-sided, probably broken (25 cm by 50 cm).
7. Long-stone DR7: irregularly shaped (50 cm by 70 cm).

Outlying funerary structure

Roughly 150 m north of the pillars there is a double-course funerary enclosure situated in the gravelly plain. This quadrate structure appears to measure 8 m by 8 m. The east wall of the enclosure is almost absent. It was constructed of larger upright blocky stones (30 cm to 70 cm long), which protrude upwards of 20 cm above the ground surface. If there were once companion structures, all traces of them on the shifting surface have disappeared from view.