Ancient cliff discoveries shed light on region's past

A remarkable discovery in Nyemo county of Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, has unveiled ancient cliff inscriptions and rock paintings, shedding new light on the region's rich cultural heritage.

This significant find was made during the fourth national cultural relic survey in 2023, revealing three cultural relic sites — two cliff inscription sites and one rock painting site.

The sites were first discovered in 2023 by people from the Thonba township of Nyemo during a comprehensive urban and rural environmental cleanup.

Following the discovery, the findings were reported to the Xizang autonomous region's Institute for Cultural Relic Conservation.

Subsequently, a team led by Shargan Wangdue, deputy head of the institute, rushed to the sites to conduct an investigation, marking the first new cultural relics findings in the area in 12 years.

The cliff area is now designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

According to the Nyemo county's cultural relic survey team, the most prominent of these discoveries is the Drakmar Cliff Inscriptions, featuring an image of Shakyamuni Buddha. The statue stands approximately 2.47 meters tall and 2.1 m wide, with a shoulder width of 0.8 m. The Buddha's horseshoe-shaped head is approximately 0.7 m in width.

In the local Tibetan dialect, drakmar means red rock. At that time, Tenzin Kelcho, an employee of the Lhasa City Cultural Relics Bureau, made an initial assessment, recognizing the statue's significant value.

Yeshe Chodron, a member of Lhasa City's fourth national cultural relics survey team, states that the inscriptions found explicit characteristics of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Above the Buddha's knees is a sun motif, which symbolizes protection and auspiciousness in the local culture, while below is an inscription of the six-syllable Tibetan mantra, weathered by time.

"This discovery not only attests to the close interactions between the central government of the Ming Dynasty and the local Tibetan authorities, as well as the deep integration of Han and Tibetan cultures, but also enhances our understanding of the formation and development of China's multiethnic unity," says Yeshe Chodron.

Nearby, a rock painting depicting vibrant images of deer and yaks was found. The carving technique generally involves a dense point-chiseling method, characteristic of Tibetan style. These high-relief carvings serve as pictographic historical records of ancient Tibetan ancestors, offering a glimpse into their spiritual world.

The rock paintings reveal vast information about the production activities, social lives and aesthetic concepts of ancient people, providing a vivid illustration of humanity's journey from a primitive society to civilization.

Yeshe Chodron says that although the age of the rock painting is yet to be determined, discovering such art in a traditional agricultural area like Nyemo county is rare, as they are usually associated with pastoral environments.

The local government is currently working on a scientific protection plan. Experts suggest using local materials to construct a temporary protective shelter, such as stones from the riverbank, as the site is partially submerged in the Yarlung Zangbo River during the rainy season.

Discussions with the regional cultural relics research institute are ongoing to determine the appropriate protective measures.

Yeshe Chodron says that after the sites were opened to the public, many residents visit to worship.

In addition to the discoveries in Nyemo county, the local cultural relic survey team achieved significant progress in the region's Nakarze county in Lhokha, where they uncovered a large group of rock paintings.

Tenzin Padrub, team leader of the local cultural relic survey team, says the Tuiwarela rock painting group, spanning a 1,000-meter cliff, features over 420 intricately carved panels with more than 30 different patterns.

"These designs vividly depict ancient hunters and animals, providing invaluable material for the study of Tibetan history and culture," says Tenzin Padrub.

One rock painting is approximately 0.7 m tall and 0.5 m wide, the largest of all.

Located in central Xizang, it is the largest site with the most rock paintings, making it highly valuable to researchers, he says.

"Our ancestors used rock paintings to express their lifestyles and culture at the time. The patterns are very clear, with distinct lines; some are relatively simple, with more blurred lines," he says.

The survey team and experts determined that this area contains rock paintings from different periods. Preliminary estimates indicate that these rock paintings are about 1,000 to 2,000 years old, he adds.

The content of the rock paintings mainly focuses on the hunting scenes, including figures with bows and arrows, spears and horseback archery, as well as torch-bearing figures. There are also depictions of deer, dogs and other small animals, along with Tibetan letters and stupa shapes.

"Officials from the village and township are currently responsible for the site's protection," says Tenzin Padrub.

"In the future, following official recognition by higher authorities, it is expected to be gradually classified as a site of cultural relics and a relevant protection sign will be established."

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