Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

II.2. Superficial structures: Primarily funerary superstructure

Rindzin MöndurRi ’dzin mon dur

Basic site data

• Site name: Rindzin MöndurRi ’dzin mon dur
• English equivalent: Mountain Holder MönMon Tombs
• Site number: D-49
• Site typology: II.2a, II.2b
• Elevation: 4860 m to 4870 m
• Administrative location (township): JangtöByang stod
• Administrative location (county): GegyéDge rgyas
• Survey expedition: UTAE
• Survey date: June 2, 2001
• Contemporary usage: None.
• Identifiable Buddhist constructions: None.
• Maps: UTRS II, HAS A2
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General site characteristics

Rindzin MöndurRi ’dzin mon dur consists of a series of highly degraded, single-course superstructures situated on wide, unobscured, slightly sloping ground. The remains of at least three enclosures are found at the site. They are constructed primarily of an unhewn, grayish metamorphic rock of variable length (20 cm to 75 cm long).

Oral tradition

In this region (GegyéDge rgyas), sites such as Rindzin MöndurRi ’dzin mon dur are frequently associated with the MönMon.

Site elements

Funerary Structure FS1

Funerary structure FS1 (7 m by 4 m) consists of a quadrate single-course perimeter whose stones are mostly flush with the ground surface (33° 27.596΄ / 81° 58.306΄ / 4680 m). About 30 stones, 50 cm to 75 cm in length, remain in situ.

Funerary Structure FS2

Funerary structure FS2 is situated several meters from FS1. FS2 consists of highly fragmentary walls. It appears to be of the same design and construction as FS1.

Funerary Structure FS3

Funerary structure FS3 consists of small single-course wall fragments covering an area of 24 m by 9 m (27.700΄ / 58.168΄ / 4870 m). It appears that more than one enclosure was built here. The extant wall segments (up to 2.4 m long) include uncut blocks flush with the ground and upright slabs that protrude above the surface. The largest in situ stone slab is 75 cm long and is elevated 40 cm above ground level.

Affiliated sites

Trugu YarkhaPhru gu dbyar kha

At Trugu YarkhaPhru gu dbyar kha (Child Summer Plain) there are the remains of a single rectangular enclosure (33° 30.39΄ N. lat. / 81° 52 58΄ E. long. / 5020 m). This small enclosure (2.5 m by 1.5 m) has three single-course walls and one double-course wall (east), and is divided into two parts by a double-course wall, consisting of three stones in each course. The enclosure walls are primarily made of pieces of gray granite (up to 50 cm long), which protrude upwards of 20 cm above ground level. This structure is not aligned in the cardinal directions. Located on level shelf in a limestone formation, it is in close proximity to an old abandoned pastoral camp.

In the limestone formation, near the funerary structure of Trugu YarkhaPhru gu dbyar kha, there is a small cave with around one dozen obscured swastikas on its walls. They were drawn using orange-red ochre. Probably all but one of these swastikas face in a counterclockwise direction. Some have been dabbed with butter, possibly in the worship of the local territorial deity (yüllhayul lha). There are also two or three conjoined sun and moon (nyidanyi zla) pictographs on the walls of the cave as well as one or two unrecognizable motifs. Near the mouth of the cave there are a couple old manima ṇi plaques. Trugu YarkhaPhru gu dbyar kha boasts a perennial stream fed by 6000 m tall peaks to the north and a spring. The spring is the residence of a water spirit known as Lutsen ChukmoKlu btsan phyug mo. Local sources say that this female deity came to the locale from the south, on her way to northern India. However, upon breaking a leg at Trugu YarkhaPhru gu dbyar kha, she remained at this location.