Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

Site elements

West complex

Appended edifice

The west complex appended edifice is situated 5 m west of the field of Doringrdo ring and shares the same alignment. Due to extreme degradation of the structure, its external dimensions are difficult to appraise. Nevertheless, the bottom part of its central chamber is still intact, and measures 5.3 m (north-south) by 1.85 m (east-west). The walls composing the central chamber (up to 80 cm high) are made of alternating horizontal and herringbone coursed-rubble. There is some structural evidence to suggest that the walls of the west complex edifice were about 1.4 m in thickness. Variable-length (15 cm to 40 cm) stones were used in its construction.

Pillar array

The west complex array of standing stones is aligned in the cardinal directions, and measures 22 m (east-west) by 13 m (north-south). Although at least 50 percent of the pillars are missing; it would seem that there were originally approximately 35 rows of stones, each with about 35 pillars. These rows are spaced 25 cm to 55 cm apart. Individual stelae in each row are arrayed 20 cm to 40 cm from one another.

Lower east complex

Appended edifice

The dimensions of this highly degraded lower east complex appended edifice are no longer evident. The remains, a rocky tumulus, reach 1.8 m in height.

Pillar array

Upwards of 70 percent of the pillars in this most northerly of the three east complexes are no longer in situ. This array roughly measured 17 m (east-west) by 13 m (north-south). The stelae in each row are spaced 50 cm to 70 cm apart, and reach a maximum height of 65 cm. The south side of the concourse of standing stones is bounded by a 12 m long fragment of a double-course slab wall (20 cm to 35 cm thick). This wall is constructed of variable length slabs (10 cm to 65 cm long) set into the ground edgewise. These slabs are either flush with the surface or slightly project above it. About 4 m north of the lower east complex pillar array there is a small isolated group of standing stones.

Central east complex

Appended edifice

The central east complex edifice is situated 4 m south of the lower east complex edifice. It approximately measures 5.5 m (east to west) by 8 m (north-south). Coherent traces of the east and south walls are extant.

Pillar array

The original extent of the central east complex array of standing stones is unclear as only about 175 specimens are in situ. These pillars tend to be shorter than those of the lower east complex. Some of the standing stones reach right up to the appended edifice. The slope that they sit upon is uneven probably due to water-borne geomorphologic changes. The rows of standing stones are spaced 25 cm to 40 cm apart. Individual pillars in each row stand 20 cm to 40 cm from one another. A 5.5 m long single-course slab-wall fragment bounds the north side of the array.

Upper east complex

Appended edifice

The upper east complex edifice is situated 8 m north of the central east edifice. This structure measures 6 m (east-west) by 7.5 m (north-south), and has been reduced to a mound with only tiny sections of integral walls left.

Pillar array

The upper east complex pillar array is also heavily disturbed. Near the appended edifice, about three dozen stones are left standing, and on the east side of the concourse there are approximately 125 Doringrdo ring in situ. The rows of pillars are spaced 40 cm to 60 cm apart. Individual standing stones in each row are arrayed 30 cm to 75 cm from one another. A slab-wall remnant bounds the east side of the array. There is also a slab-wall fragment (3.5 m long) that runs east-west through the middle of the concourse of standing stones.