Publications List
John Vincent Bellezza
Books (Monographs) 2014. Antiquities of Zhang Zhung: A Comprehensive Inventory of Pre‐Buddhist Sites on the Tibetan Upland, Residential Monuments, vol. 1. Miscellaneous Series – 28. Sarnath: Central University of Tibetan Studies. Online version, 2011: Tibetan & Himalayan Library (THlib.org). http://www.thlib.org/bellezza
2014. Antiquities of Zhang Zhung: A Comprehensive Inventory of Pre‐Buddhist Sites on the Tibetan Upland, Ceremonial Monuments, vol. 2. Miscellaneous Series – 29. Sarnath: Central University of Tibetan Studies. Online version, 2011: Tibetan & Himalayan Library (THlib.org): http://www.thlib.org/bellezza
2014. The Dawn of Tibet: The Ancient Civilization on the Roof of the World. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
2013. Death and Beyond in Ancient Tibet: Archaic Concepts and Practices in a Thousand‐Year‐Old Illuminated Funerary Manuscript and Old Tibetan Funerary Documents of Gathang Bumpa and Dunhuang. Philosophisch‐Historische Klasse Denkschriften, vol. 454. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
2008. Zhang Zhung: Foundations of Civilization in Tibet. A Historical and Ethnoarchaeological Study of the Monuments, Rock Art, Texts and Oral Tradition of the Ancient Tibetan Upland. Philosophisch‐ Historische Klasse Denkschriften, vol. 368. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
2005. Calling Down the Gods: Spirit‐Mediums, Sacred Mountains and Related Bon Textual Traditions in Upper Tibet, Tibetan Studies Library, vol. 8. Leiden: Brill.
2002. Antiquities of Upper Tibet: An Inventory of Pre‐Buddhist Archaeological Sites on the High Plateau, Delhi: Adroit.
2001. Antiquities of Northern Tibet: Archaeological Discoveries on the High Plateau, Delhi: Adroit.
1997. Divine Dyads: Ancient Civilization in Tibet, Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
Articles Forthcoming: “A Depiction of the Tibetan Mind: A Portrait of the Ancient Bon Master Tapihritsa”, in Mandalas: Mirrors of the Cosmos, a catalogue from the mandala exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland, October, 2014.
Forthcoming: “The Swastika, Stepped Shrine, Priest, Horned Eagle, and Wild Yak Rider: Prominent antecedents of Bon figurative and symbolic traditions in the rock art of Upper Tibet”, written for International Conference on Bon Studies hosted by the Shenten Dargye Ling Congregation, Blou, France, June 29–31, 2016.
Forthcoming: “Facsimiles of the Earliest Ritual Architecture in Tibet: A Comprehensive Survey of Stepped Shrines in the Rock Art of Upper Tibet”, written for the International Association of Tibetan Studies, Conference XIV, Bergen, June 19–25, 2015.
In press: “Zenpar: Tibetan Wooden Molds for Creation of Dough Figures in Esoteric Rituals”, in Arts of Asia, Hong Kong.
In press: “The Rock Art of Spiti: A General Introduction”, for First International Conference on Spiti: Recovering the Past & Exploring the Present, Oxford University, May 6–7, 2016.
In press: “Discerning Bon and Zhang Zhung on the Western Tibetan Plateau: Designing an archaeological nomenclature for Upper Tibet, Ladakh and Spiti Based on a study of cognate rock art”, for International Conference of Shang Shung Cultural Studies Beijing, September 18–21, 2015.
2015. “On the Roof of the World: Discovering the Forgotten World of Zhang Zhung”, in Popular Archaeology. http://popular‐archaeology.com/issue/winter‐2015‐2016/article/on‐the‐roof‐of‐the‐ world‐discovering‐the‐forgotten‐civilization‐of‐zhang‐zhung
2015. “The Ancient Corbelled Buildings of Upper Tibet: Architectural attributes, environmental factors and religious meaning in an unique type of archaeological monument”, in Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture. “Architecture and Conservation: Tibet”, November 2015 (ed. Hubert Feigelsdorfer), pp. 4–19. http://www.jccs‐a.at/issues
2014. “Straddling the Millennial Divide: A case study of persistence and change in the Tibetan ritual tradition based on the Gnag rabs of Gathang Bumpa and Eternal Bon documents, circa 900–1100 CE”, in Revue d’etudes tibétaines, vol. 29, pp. 155–243. Paris: CNRS. http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ret/pdf/ret_29_07.pdf
2013. With Bruneau, L. “The Rock Art of Upper Tibet and Ladakh: Inner Asian cultural adaptation, regional differentiation and the ‘Western Tibetan Plateau Style’”, in Revue d’etudes tibétaines, vol. 28, pp. 5–161. Paris: CNRS. http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ret/pdf/ret_28.pdf
2013. “Before the Mural and Scroll Painting: Rock Art in Ancient Tibet”, in Himalayan Art Resources. http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=3108
2 2012. “Spirit‐mediumship in Upper Tibet: The Vocation of one expert practitioner”, in Bulletin of Tibetology, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 7–32. Gangtok: Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, 2011: in Exploring Tibet’s History and Culture. Proceedings of the International Conference held in New Delhi, 2009 (ed. P. Roy), pp. 379–410. Samyak Vak Series, vol. 17. Varanasi: Central University of Tibetan Studies.
2012. “Nangzher Lopo”, in The Treasury of Lives: A Biographical Encyclopedia of Himalayan Religion. Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation: New York. http://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Nangzher‐ Lopo/13164
2012. “Tongyung Thuchen”, in The Treasury of Lives: A Biographical Encyclopedia of Himalayan Religion. Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation: New York. http://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Tongyung‐ Tuchen/13165
2012. “Xizang Tien Tie: Zi lei long yu hua pi li. Xue yu zhu shen you li min” (trans. Feng Shuai), in Tibet Geographic, no. 1, pp. 106–113. Lhasa.
2011. “The liturgies and oracular utterances of the spirit‐mediums of Upper Tibet: An Introduction to their bSang Rituals”, in Revue d’etudes tibétaines, no. 20, pp. 5–31. Paris: CNRS. http://www.himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ret/pdf/ret_20_01.pdf
2010. “gShen‐rab Myi‐bo: His life and times according to Tibet’s earliest literary sources”, in Revue d’etudes tibétaines, no. 19, pp. 31–118. Paris: CNRS. http://www.himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ret/pdf/ret_19_03.pdf
2005. “A Cornerstone Report. Comprehensive Archaeological Surveys Conducted in Upper Tibet between 2001 and 2004. Documentation of archaic monuments and rock art in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Carried out under the auspices of the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences and Ngari Xiangxiong Cultural Exchange Association of the Tibet Autonomous Region.”, in Tibetan & Himalayan Digital Library, http://www.tinyurl.com/b2hnr (URL now defunct).
2004. “Metal and Stone Vestiges: Religion, Magic and Protection in the Art of Ancient Tibet”, in Asian Art Online Journal. http://www.asianart.com/articles/vestiges/index.html
2004. “Pilgrim’s Way, Scientist’s Mind” (Chinese trans. Fu Jun), in Tibet Geographic, vol. 1, pp. 133–138. Lhasa.
2003. “Pre‐Buddhist Data” in Environmental and Cultural Geography Collection, in Tibetan & Himalayan Digital Library (work in progress). http://www.iris.lib.virginia.edu/tibet/collections/cultgeo/prebuddhist‐gis.html
2003. “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Race to Document Upper Tibet’s Iron Age Heritage Before the Evidence is Carried Away”, in Lotus Leaves, vol. 6 (1), pp. 1–3. San Francisco.
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2003. “Bringing to Light the Forgotten: Major Findings of a Comprehensive Inventory of Pre‐Buddhist Sites in Upper Tibet (Tibet Autonomous Region, Peoples Republic of China). Conducted Between 1992– 2002”, in Athena Review, vol. 3 (4), pp. 16–26. Westport. Chinese language version: Xunzhao Shiluo De Wenhua: “Xibu Xizang Qian Fujiao Shiyi Zhongyao Kaogu Yiji Diao Cha Baogau” (trans. Tang Huisheng and Tan Xiuhua) in Essays on the International Conference on Tibetan Archaeology and Art, pp. 1–29. Chengdu: Sichuan Remin Chuban She, 2004.
2002. “Gods, Hunting and Society: Animals in the Ancient Cave Paintings of Celestial Lake in Northern Tibet”, in East and West, vol. 52 (1–4), pp. 347–396. Rome: IsMEO.
2000. “Pre‐Buddhist Archaeological Sites in Northern Tibet: An Introductory Report on the Types of Monuments and Related Literary and Oral Historical Sources”, in Kailash, vol. 19 (1–2), pp. 1–142. Kathmandu.
2000. “Bon Rock Paintings at gNam mtsho: Glimpses of the Ancient Religion of Northern Tibet”, in Rock Art Research, vol. 17 (1), pp. 35–55. Melbourne: AURA and IFRAO.
2000. “Images of Lost Civilization: The Ancient Rock Art of Upper Tibet”, in Asian Art Online Journal. http://www.asianart.com/articles/rockart/index.html
2000. “Elders of Tibet: Vital Link with a Vast Unwritten Tradition”, in The Mirror: Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community, May/June, no. 4. Conway.
1999. “Archaeological Mysteries at Tibet’s Sacred Mountain Nyenchen Thanglha”, in Himal, vol. 12 (12), pp. 42, 43. Kathmandu.
1999. “High Country Culture”, in Discovering Archaeology, vol. 1 (3), pp. 78–83. El Paso.
1999. “A Preliminary Archaeological Survey of Da rog mtsho”, in The Tibet Journal, vol. 24 (1), pp. 56–90. Dharamsala: LTWA.
1999. “Northern Tibet Exploration: Archaeological Discoveries of the Changthang Circuit Expedition”, in Asian Art Online Journal. http://www.asianart.com/articles/tibarchaeo/index.html
1999. “The Ancient Amulets of Tibet”, in Asian Art Online Journal. http://www.asianart.com/articles/tibarchaeo/index.html
1998. “Thogchags: Talismans of Tibet”, in Arts of Asia, vol. 28 (3), pp. 44–64. Hong Kong.
1998. “New Archaeological Discoveries in Tibet”, in Asian Art Online Journal.
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1997. “Notes on Three Series of Unusual Symbols Discovered on the Byang thang”, in East and West, vol. 47 (1–4), pp. 395–405. Rome: IsMEO.
1996. “A Preliminary Archaeological Survey of gNam mtsho and Dang ra g.yu mtsho”, in The Tibet Journal, vol. 21 (2), 58–84. Dharamsala: LTWA. Reprint: in The Mirror: Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community, May/June 1997, July/August 1997, April/May 1998, June/July 1998.
1995. “Doring Revisited”, in Himal, vol. 8 (3), pp. 29–32. Kathmandu.
1994. “Thog lcags”, in The Tibet Journal, vol. 19 (1), pp. 92–97. Dharamsala: LTWA.
1993. “Quest for the Four Fountains of Tibet”, in Himal, vol. 6 (1), pp. 41–44. Kathmandu.
Book Chapters 2015. “The Voice of the Gods in Upper Tibet: The trance‐induced invocations and songs of praise of the spirit‐medium Phowo Sridgyal”, in The Illuminating Mirror (eds. O. Czaja and G. Hazod), pp. 15–40. Contributions to Tibetan Studies, vol. 12. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag.
2013. “Myths and Rituals of Death”, in Sources of Tibetan Tradition (eds. K. R. Schaeffer, M. T. Kapstein, G. Tuttle), pp. 130–136. New York: Columbia University.
2012. “The Pre‐Buddhist Archaeological Sites Around Mount Kailash (Ti‐se): A Major Center of Civilization in Ancient Upper Tibet”, in Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth, vol. II, pp. 163–174. Elmhurst: Jain Center of America. Online digital version: Jain eLibrary, Jain Education International. http://jainelibrary.org/book.php?file=009860
2012. “A reconnaissance mission to locate the Ashtapad Temple”, in Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth, vol. II, pp. 91–102. Elmhurst: Jain Center of America. Online digital version: Jain eLibrary, Jain Education International. http://jainelibrary.org/book.php?file=009860
2011. “Territorial Characteristics of the Pre‐Buddhist Zhang‐zhung Paleocultural Entity: A Comparative Analysis of Archaeological Evidence and Popular Bon Literary Sources”, in Emerging Bon: The Formation of Bon Traditions in Tibet at the Turn of the First Millennium AD (ed. H. Blezer), pp. 51–116. PIATS 2006: Proceedings of the Eleventh Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Königswinter 2006. Halle: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies GmbH.
2003. “A Preliminary Archaeological Survey of gNam mtsho and Dang ra g.yu mtsho”, in The History of Tibet, vol. 1, pp. 99–117. London: Routledge.
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Book and Article Reviews In press. “Kailas Histories: Renunciate Traditions and the Construction of Himalayan Sacred Geography, by Alex McKay”, book review in The Tibet Journal, vol. 42 (no. 2). Dharamsala: LTWA.
In press: “Discussion of “A 5500 Year Model of Changing Crop Niches on the Tibetan Plateau Current”, article review in Current Anthropology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
2014. Jason Neelis’ “Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks: Mobility and Exchange within and beyond the Northwestern Borderlands of South Asia”, Dynamics in the History of Religion, vol. 2., book review, in Himalaya: Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, vol. 33, no. 1. http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol33/iss1/34
2000. ‘Schuyler Jones’ “Tibetan Nomads”, book review in The Tibet Journal, vol. 25 (1), pp. 94–99. Dharamsala: LTWA.
1994. “Victor Chen's Tibet Handbook”, book review in Himal, vol. 7 (6), p. 31. Kathmandu.
Additional Published Works Co‐authored Lonely Planet Tibet (Lonely Planet Publications, Melbourne: 1999; 2002; 2005; 2008; 2011; 2015) and contributed information and written pieces for Victor Chan’s Tibet Handbook, Stephen Batchelor’s Tibet Guide Book, Stan Armington’s Lonely Planet Trekking in Nepal and Lonely Planet Bhutan, Hugh Swift’s Trekking in the Himalaya and Karakorum, and others.
“Tibet: Nyag Lhakhang Karpo (Guge Lhome). Collection of John Vincent Bellezza (Photographs)”, in Himalayan Art Resources, http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=1371
“Tibet: Goose Valley”, in Himalayan Art Resources, http://www.himalayan.org/search/set.cfm?setid=2831&page=3
Contributor of photographs and advisor to “The First Steps: Archaeology of Tibet” and “The Bon Religion: The First Unifying Factor”, in Glimpses on the History of Tibet, by C. Arpi. Dharamsala: The Tibet Museum, 2013, etc.
Contributor of photographs to The Oral Tradition from Zhang‐Zhung: An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang‐zhung known as the Zhang‐zhung snyan‐rgyud, by J. M. Reynolds. Kathmandu: Vajra Publications, 2005.
Contributor of photographs to numerous websites and online forums.
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Newsletter 2006–2017: Flight of the Khyung (nos. 1–128), a monthly online newsletter at http://www.tibetarchaeology.com. Each issue is between 1500 and 24,400 words in length, some of which constitute full‐length scholarly articles. The main areas of focus are Tibetan archaeology, Tibetan cultural history, Tibetan art history, Tibetan spirit‐mediums, the Bon religion, Tibetological conferences, and personal expeditionary activities and journal entries, as well as matters concerning Nepal, Indian Himalaya, Karakorum, Hindu Kush, and Mongolia, environmental issues, international relations, and human consciousness.
2017 June: Cutting Horns and Thundering Hooves: Wild yak portrayals in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 3; The Ancient Burials of Mustang: A review of a recent article by Mark Aldenderfer and Jacqueline T. Eng May: Cutting Horns and Thundering Hooves: Wild yak portrayals in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 2; Enduring Tibetan Legacy: A review of an article concerning the genetic make‐up of ancient Mustang April: Cutting Horns and Thundering Hooves: Wild yak portrayals in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 1 March: Abode of Meditation and Magic: A survey of the ancient residential center of Defender Master (Gondak); Brief Comments on Three Recent Scientific Articles regarding the Peopling of the Tibetan Plateau February: Stones of the Heavens: Two stelar necropolises discovered on the western Changthang; A Review of a Recently Published Article: “A 5500 Year Model of Changing Crop Niches on the Tibetan Plateau” January: Talus‐blanketed Red House Necropolis of Upper Tibet: Cross‐cultural exchanges with the north at the end of the Bronze Age – Part 2: The wider Inner Asian archaeological context; The Warrior God Cult in Upper Tibet: Considering new evidence of its importance
2016
December: Talus‐blanketed Red House Necropolis of Upper Tibet: Cross‐cultural exchanges with the north at the end of the Bronze Age – Part 1: Indigenous characteristics November: Before the Mural and Scroll Painting: Rock Art in Ancient Tibet October: Discovery of Three Mascoid Carvings on a Boulder in Spiti September: Bravery, Propitiation and Accomplishment: Wild yak hunting in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 3 August: Bravery, Propitiation and Accomplishment: Wild yak hunting in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 2 July: Bravery, Propitiation and Accomplishment: Wild yak hunting in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 1
7 June: A Mirror of Cultural History on the Roof of the World: The swastika in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 2 May: The Final Frontier: The rock art of the upper Nubra valley, Ladakh, by Viraf Mehta; A Mirror of Cultural History on the Roof of the World: The swastika in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 1 April: A Review of a Recent Scientific Article: “Earliest tea as evidence for one branch of the Silk Road across the Tibetan Plateau”; Art and Shelter: An ancient settlement in far western Tibet March: A Preliminary Study of the Origins and Early Development of Bronze Metallurgy on the Western Tibetan Plateau, Part 2: Intercultural contacts in the Bronze Age and Iron Age, an archaeometallurgical perspective February: A Preliminary Study of the Origins and Early Development of Bronze Metallurgy on the Western Tibetan Plateau, Part 1: The ‘Eurasian animal style’, an art historical perspective January: The Ancient Burial Sites of Spiti: The indigenous socioeconomic and cultural order and trans‐regional communications in the era before the spread of Buddhism
2015 December: The Ancient Castles of Spiti: The indigenous socioeconomic and cultural order and trans‐regional communications in the era before the spread of Buddhism November: A Survey of the Rock Art of Spiti – Part 3; Ahead into the Historical Era: Non‐Tibetan rock inscriptions in Spiti October: A better definition of Bon in 508 words; A Survey of the Rock Art of Spiti – Part 2 September: A Survey of the Rock Art of Spiti – Part 1 August: Visitations from Upper Tibet and Ladakh: A survey of trans‐regional rock art in Spiti July: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Rock Art of Spiti June: A Review of the Early Cultural History of Spiti – Part Two; Interviews with Jowa, Luyar and Other Luminaries in Spiti; A Brief Report on the Oldest Residences of Spiti May: Spotlight on Spiti; A Review of the Early Cultural History of Spiti – Part One April: Diverting History from Oblivion: A plan to conserve the archaeological heritage of Upper Tibet March: The Prehistoric collection of the Tibet Museum in Lhasa – Part Two February: The Prehistoric collection of the Tibet Museum in Lhasa – Part One; Early Agriculture in Tibet: A Review of a recent scientific paper by d’Alpoim Guedes et al. January: More Ancient Khyung in the Rock Art of Upper Tibet; A definition of Bon in 358 words; Senseless Greed: The irreparable loss of the ancient Buddhist murals of Mangdrak; Standing Proudly: Early equine art in Upper Tibet
2014 December: A Scintillating Visage: Another golden burial mask comes to light; Serpentine Signs: Tibetan copper alloy artifacts with animal style motifs; A Further Note on the Tibetan Animal Style November: Sinuous Shapes: The Eurasian animal style rock art of Upper Tibet ‐ Part 2 October: Sinuous Shapes: The Eurasian animal style rock art of Upper Tibet ‐ Part 1
8 September: Horned, Feathered and Sanctified: Extraordinary anthropomorphs in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 2; A Review of Parallels in the Funerary Traditions of the Xiongnu and Tibetans August: Ancient Tibetan Bridle Finally Sees the Light of Day; Horned, Feathered and Sanctified: Extraordinary anthropomorphs in the rock art of Upper Tibet – Part 1 July: A Bon Stronghold Past and Present: The lakeside settlement of Gyer Ru Tsho Do; Exquisitely Carved Chortens from Far Western Tibet June: A nexus of ancient Upper Tibetan settlement: Revisiting Bell Island; The largest archaic shrine complex discovered in Upper Tibet May: Don’t Devalue Tibet: It is not merely a ‘culture’, it is a ‘civilization’; Review of the website called “Tibetan Tumulus Tradition”; Bronze cowries and a bronze knucklebone: Markers of cosmopolitanism in the ancient artifacts of Tibet; Archaeological sites in Upper Tibet: Accelerating pace of destruction April: Tombs recently discovered in the High Himalaya of India; Chronicles in Stone: The ancient fortresses of Lake Dangra Yumtsho March: Three Delights: One of the oldest continually inhabited villages in Tibet February: To be or not to be a shaman: Extraordinary anthropomorphic figures in Upper Tibet and Siberia; The haunts of Dragu Ngongen: Yesterday’s venerable cultural hero, today’s wily ancestor January: Hunters, Warriors, Shamans and Lovers: Chronicles of ancient life at Thakhampa Ri – Part II; Tigers in ancient western Tibet: More evidence
2013 December: The golden burial mask of Shamsi; More on the golden mask from Malari; Hunters, Warriors, Shamans and Lovers: Chronicles of ancient life at Thakhampa Ri – Part I; The golden burial mask of Shamsi: An overview of golden masks from Inner Asia, a contribution by Sören Stark November: The primordial letter A and swastika and chorten painted on stone: The ancient cave sanctuary of Darlung Phukpa; The ancient art and architecture of Dokhor Phukpa; Visages of the past: The golden burial masks of Upper Tibet, the Himalaya and northwestern Xinjiang October: A new archaeological discovery in Upper Tibet: Early encounters between Buddhism and the indigenous cults September: The IATS XIII in Ulan Bator; The dorje: Symbol par excellence of Tibetan Buddhism; A shadowy figure on the rock; Slicing and dicing the past: More evidence from the rock art record; From my archives August: A unique collection of ancient ceremonial monuments both drawn and carved; Tibetan turquoise: Beaming stone of life; “Antique Tibetan and Chinese Turquoise”, text and photographs by James Wainwright; “Notes and Addendum on: Tibetan Turquoise: Beaming stone of life”, text and photographs by Stephen Shucart; “Excerpt from an article pertaining to turquoise”, by Samten G. Karmay July: Adding a little color to things: The polychrome rock art of Upper Tibet; The Neolithic in Upper Tibet: Prospects for further research and exploration
9 June: Gyapa Jo Khar of Nyarma; Gyapa Jo Khar and the historical signification of the term Zhang Zhung; The stone‐roofed structures of Ladakh, by Quentin Devers May: Thirteen Golden Reliquaries; Pillars of the ancients; The origins of the Tibetan people: A review of “Modeling the Neolithic on the Tibetan Plateau” April: The origins of Demon Destroyer; The precinct of Demon Destroyer; The structures of Demon Destroyer March: Curves of history: The composite bow in Upper Tibet February: A little more on the stone bust featured last month; A tough and rough world: lovely Lake Nam Tsho violated; Of a different form: Tabernacles of the ancients January: High on the khyung; An ancient stone figure from western Tibet; Lucky but different: Non‐standard auspicious symbols
2012 December: Mysterious and alluring: metal and stone parallels; More strange figures or symbols; Making music the old way; Ancient piscine rock art November: Palimpsests: the superimposition of images and inscriptions October: More felines of ancient Tibet; Archaic residential sites surveyed in 2000; Selected journal excerpts from the Upper Tibetan Antiquities Expedition September: Changing Ladakh; My (Bellezza’s) visit to Stok Mon Khar; Three more ancient tombs excavated in Gurgyam; Review of six recently published papers on the history of Bon written by Henk Blezer and Christopher I. Beckwith concerning the historical and cultural character of Zhang‐zhung, the possible location of its capital, and the use of the term bon in Old Tibetan sources; Exploring ancient Ladakh, by Martin Vernier; Stok Mon Khar, by Martin Vernier August: A brief introduction to the tiger in Tibetan culture; Ancient tigers in Upper Tibet; Tigers in the rock art of Upper Tibet July: It may or may not be god; Divine riders of the unfettered; Before there was the Buddhist stupa in Tibet June: Regiment Valley May: The exploration of the great Sutlej River Valley Citadel; Sutlej River Valley Citadel in figures and photos April: A major center of civilization in Upper Tibet, circa the 3rd century CE; Supplement on Khardong and on the Zhang Zhung capital March: Bactrian camels up on high; Inner Asian rock art: more interconnected than I realized earlier; Another key revision concerning the age of rock art February: Figures from foreign lands?; Pillars marking the ages; Flying high: Horse racing in Upper Tibet January: The horned eagle: Tibet’s greatest ancestral and religious symbol across the ages; Contemporary threats to rock art in Upper Tibet
2011 December: The individual or group in emblematic form: the mascoids of Upper Tibet
10 November: Revisiting the chariots of Upper Tibet; The systematic destruction of Guge’s ancient chortens; More on the golden funerary masks of the Himalaya October: The latest in Tibetan archaeology September: The big event in Chengdu, China August: The estates of the ancients: Residential sites surveyed around Lake Dangra; The Changthang Circuit Expedition: A retrospective from my journals July: Great lakes of the western Changthang; From my journals June: Insuring the peace, protecting in war: the ancient fortresses of Upper Tibet; A Retrospective: Crossing between two provinces of the Tibetan cultural entity May: Six archaic fortresses of Upper Tibet; Zhang Zhung’s fabled capital? April: Drink to your heart’s content: The mythic origins and poetry of libations in ancient Tibet; The most ancient carvings of letters discovered on stone slabs in Tibet March: Walled‐in pillars of the heights; The biggest pictograph in Upper Tibet; Lion fixed, lion movable: ancient Tibetan feline sculpture; A comment on a recent archaeological find in Nepal February: Celebration of the great passing: A retrospective on Upper Tibet’s concourses of standing stones appended to temple‐tombs; A really big western Tibetan fibula January: The all‐stone corbelled edifices of Ladakh; The magical letter A of Upper Tibet
2010 December: A strange spell from atop a mountain; The all‐stone corbelled shrines of western Tibet and Ladakh; Rare collectable artifacts from Upper Tibet November: Recently discovered pre‐Buddhist necropoli in Upper Tibet; The pillage of Upper Tibet October: The deer: symbol of well‐being, sacrifice and the divine; The Mon burials of Montsher: a preliminary report; More on the silk recovered from the Montsher burial September: Altogether then: Cosmogonic symbolism in prehistoric Upper Tibet; The ancient bon religious centers of Mangkhar; Buddhist history of Mangkhar; The unabashed male: naked and powerful August: Riding high: the chariots of ancient Upper Tibet July: Faces of ancient Tibet and Mongolia; A bronze dagger discovered in western Tibet; Gold objects surface in Central Tibet; The main gateway of Mount Nyenchen Thanglha June: A little side note on climate change; Murder and mystery in the Himalaya; The in situ natural mind: A 1000‐year old Bon hermitage in Upper Tibet May: The jungle of Tibet on February 1, 1987; A primer on cognate copper alloy objects of the Slab Grave culture and Tibet April: A traverse of the Hindu Kush Range in Indus Kohistan; Ancient ceremonial structures of Upper Tibet and Indus Kohistan March: The setting of an Expedition; Weaving sashes; Surveying the little things; The spatial organization of a drokpa encampment February: Divine soundings from the great female lakes January: A senior spirit‐medium of Lake Uru
11 2009 December: To generate or not to generate carbon emissions; Shamans reaching high above; The life and work of Phowo Sridgyal November: The ‘God’ Men and Women of Upper Tibet; Lha‐pa Bon‐nyid (Interviewed on September 23–25, 2005) October: Ngari Cultural Heritage Conservation: A Clarion Call for Help; Mangdrak; Shenrab Miwo and the Future Trajectory of Religion in Tibet September: Where is the Mind?; High Living; Lhasa Today August: To the Opposite Side of the Tibetan Plateau; Towers Touching the Sky July: Sound the Alarm: The Destruction of Zhang Zhung’s Capital Aided and Abetted by Swiss Nationals; The KM‐III Expedition to Mount Kailas; Rubbish the pilgrim: Clean up or put up June: The Discovery of Ancient Tibetan Texts; Essential Characteristics of an Illuminated Tibetan Funerary Scroll; A Bon Monastery in the Lhasa Environs; Pilgrimage and Recreation: The Re‐ creation of a Lhasa Holy Site May: The Magnificent Jain Temple at Mount Kailas; From My Journals April: Ode to the Birds of Spring; Cross‐currents in a Himachal Pradesh Hill Town; The Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh March: Tibetan Muslims; A Little More on Himalayan Climate Change; From My Journals: A Trip to the Lahoul Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh, India February: Going, going, gone! The melting of the Tibetan glaciers; Another Hindu Kush Retrospective January: Doings in December; From My Old Journals: A Hindu Kush Retrospective
2008 December: More about Tamchok Ngangpa Do; Power Cuts in the Kathmandu Valley; Pollution City November: The Current State of Affairs in Tibet; Pyramids and the Latest Archaeological Discovery in Upper Tibet October: Feline Fancy; A New Book Project September: Religion: Your Personal Choice?; A Shot in the Arm for Buddhism; Chinggis Khaan’s Shamanism as Today’s National Religion; My Tour and the State of Archaeology in Mongolia August: Focus on Mongolia! July: A Very Early Monsoon; Ecolands: Ecological Zones of Consensus June: The Shukden Problem Revisited May: Springtime Recollections; Dancing and the disappearing forest in Chitral, Pakistan April: The Fate of Tibet; Focus on Baltistan; The Raja of Khapalu, August 31, 1990 March: An Early Himalayan Spring; A Walk Around Mount Kailas, Tibet’s Great Sacred Mountain February: Big Worldwide Web Work Gearing Up for Publication; For the Record January: Adventurous Dreams, Adventurous Lives; Synopsis of My New Book; From the Pages of My Journals
2007
12 December: Have you had your Daily Bread?; I got Mine so get Yours November: My Fellow Explorers; My Take on Culture Shock; A Brief Time in the USA; An Update on the Inventory of Pre‐Buddhist Archaeological Sites; A Narrative from the 2001 Season of Exploration October: Moving Right Along; Nepal in Freefall? September: Kathmandu Valley Sojourn; History in Tibet is not an Open Book August: Zhang Zhung nearly ready for publication; Three millennia of Tibetan cultural history in a nutshell July: Bon Reunion; Trends in the psychosocial development of China; International cooperation in the 21st century, the American experience June: Wild Yaks and Other Things on the Horizon; An Amazing Headland; Stag Rock; High up Heaven is Near; A Nexus of Tibetan Civilization May: Primal Callings; Sound the Alarm; Like Man’s Best Friend April: Hunting and Gathering Information; Lhasa (The Divine Land) March: Sitting and Running; August 22, 1986: After four weeks of hard travel from Lhasa, Mount Kailas appears on the horizon February: Wintertime Wonder; What Environment?; From My Old Journal Archive January: A Great Show in the Making; Another Himalayan Experience
2006 December: Diverging Views, The Seminar on Tibetan History; From my Journals November: Menri Monastery Road Trip; More Adventures from Old Journals October: Writing, Walking and Flying; My trekking years September: Kathmandu, the hub of the Himalaya; My Himalayan hermitage; International Association of Tibetan Studies conference XI August: Inaugurating my newsletter; A little background on 2006; Looking ahead
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