HIDDEN STAIRWAYS AT THE FOOT OF THE HIMALAYA – RESULTS OF GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS AND EXCAVATIONS
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2021-03-26

This paper presents preliminary results of recent geophysical and archaeological investigations in the Sacred Phobjikha Valley in central Bhutan, one of the key research areas of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project initiated by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad and the University of Zurich.Initial  research  recorded  approximately  50  artificial  standalone  and  grouped  mounds  at  the  edges  of  the  glacial  valley.  Most  of the mounds are a few meters high but sky-rising hills are also known from aerial pictures. The recent damaging of one of the largest  mounds  near  the  Ngelung  Drechagling  Lhakhang  monastery  highlights  the  need  for  further  knowledge  to  protect  the  endangered cultural heritage. So far, little is known about their function, chronology, and construction.In  2018,  high  resolution  geophysical  surveys  using  ground  penetrating  radar  (GPR)  and  electrical  resistivity  tomography  (ERT)  were executed at six selected mounds of varying shape, dimensions, and preservation state. The work was conducted in close cooperation between specialists and cultural officers from the Department of Culture of the Bhutan Ministry of Home and Cul-tural  Affairs,  who  were  trained  in  the  application  of  nondestructive  survey  methods  as  part  of  the  educational  program  of  the  project.Here  we  present  the  preliminary  results  of  the  investigated  mounds.  The  3D-geophysical  data  give  detailed  insights  in  their  construction up to 3 m below the surface. In horizontal slices and cross-sections of some of the surveyed mounds an X-shaped structure in the center can be seen, surrounded by rectangular step-like foundations. Recent excavation at one of the directly endangered mounds confirm the inner structure and the stairways alike, and reveal further details about the remaining part of the mound.


Author(s):  Ullrich,  Burkart  (Eastern  Atlas)  -  Bader,  Christian  (Swiss-Liechtenstein  Foundation  for  Archaeological  Research  Abroad  SLSA,  Zurich)  -  Della  Casa,  Philippe  (Department  of  Prehistoric  Archaeology,  Institute  of  Archaeology,  University  of  Zurich)  -  Fux,  Peter  (Museum  Rietberg  Zurich)  -  Hart,  Benjamin  -  Keiser,  Alexander  (Department  of  Prehistoric  Archaeology,  Institute of Archaeology, University of Zurich) - Tenzin, Karma (Section of Archaeology, Division for Conservation of Heritage Sites - DCHS, Department of Culture, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan)