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Dolmen in Bhutan |
KaiHofmann
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|  Posted 02-03-2012 at 13:18
Michael Hauser a german ethnologist and expierienced Bhutan guide discovered in the early 90´s of the 20th century a Dolmen in Bhumthang close to the Thamshing monastery at the opposite side of the Kurjey Lhakhang (monastery) and the Bumthang Chu (river). It seems to be one of several remains of an unknown neolithic culture in Bhutan.
He called me and said, that this Dolmen site currently is threatened by building operations to rebuilt (usage of stones) the burnt down Kenchogsum temple besides the Thamshing monastery. He contacted his friends in Bhutan, but it seems that nobody is interested in this ancient dolmen. Does anybody perhaps has an Idea what to do?
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Andy B
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|  Posted 02-03-2012 at 17:56
Hello Kai, all we can do from far off is share information and let more people know about this, so pressure can be put on the people responsible. This can be a powerful thing to do if enough people in our community get onto it.
Can he send over some photos with a write up and we'll put it on our front page and get the ball rolling.
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Andy B
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| Posted 02-03-2012 at 17:57
Bhutan: http://www.megalithic.co.uk/search.php?query=&country=120
(and all information down to you Kai - many thanks)
[ This message was edited by: Andy B on 2012-03-02 17:59 ]
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KaiHofmann
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|  Posted 03-03-2012 at 09:38
Hi Andy ,
I am waiting for more information or images from him.
I have found one image in the internet in a bad resolution.
Perhaps I can use this... I will wait for more information from
Mr. Hauser.
Thank you
Kai
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michaelhauser
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|  Posted 27-04-2012 at 13:52
Hi friends, good news from Bhutan. Yesterday the King of Bhutan visited the site of the Dolmen. It was just about to be bulldozed. On 25th of April I have put my last hope on Dasho Karma Ura, Minister for Gross National Happyness and President of the Centre for Bhutan Studies. He at once informed the Home Minister,who informed the King,who stayed in Bumthang on that precise day. Now the dolmen is save for the next 1400 years, as Dasho wrote to me. All for good. Michael
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Martin_L
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|  Posted 27-04-2012 at 14:18
Congrats for successfully rescuing the site! Great news indeed.
I would really appreciate some more detailed information and/or photos about it. On the currently visible photo the orthostats are not really visible letting it look like an erratic.
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Runemage
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|  Posted 27-04-2012 at 15:54
Thank-you Kai and Michael for all your efforts !
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TheCaptain
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| Posted 27-04-2012 at 17:14
that is very good news. Well done Michael.
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SolarMegalith
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| Posted 27-04-2012 at 18:09
Amazing news, congratulations Michael! If only in every country the government had so much understanding of the value of ancient monuments...
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michaelhauser
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|  Posted 27-04-2012 at 19:06
Hi Martin, you are right, the orthostats are not quite visible on the photo, but they are there, sunken into the earth. Two/three generations before,local people used to crawl under the rock, to get rid of their sins, a practice,which at other places in buddhist Bhutan like Gomkora is still popular and possible. It cannot be an erratic, because if you put a compass on top of the rock,it shows exactly north/south orientation, so can't be natural. The early settlers (Monpas) used it probably to calculate the right time for sowing and harvest (solstice). Not far away there is also a "cup-marked"stone, for offering or sacrifice. It is said in the "History of Bhutan"by Lopon Padma Tshewang that until Padmasambhava came there in the 8th century, the Monpas were cannibals. He adviced them to use areca nut and betel leave instead of human flesh and introduced his buddhist teaching. In the Bumthang valleys farmers find highly polished stone axes while tilling the fields. The country is not a Jurassic Park, but a Megalithic one. So many places I know. With the help of Kai, I am in contact with a Bhutanese, who will submit better photos hopefully soon.
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michaelhauser
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|  Posted 27-04-2012 at 19:57
If anyone wants to know more about the secrets of Bhutan, I can recommend the film: Travellers & Magicians By Khyentse Norbu Lama, or watch on youtube: cybermagic 3000: Bhutan HD-Land of the Thunderdragon by Dominique Müller, or Prof.Augusto Gannser's book on "cupstones"1999, he was called Baba Himalaya (Father of the Himalayas). The Problem is,there is no excavation, no archaeology in Bhutan because they do not want to disturb the ghosts and even small living beings underground. Foreigners are welcome only as tourist and the rate at the moment is 250 USD per head/per day, only organized travelling is possible, no backpackers.
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KaiHofmann
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| Posted 27-04-2012 at 21:20
GREAT ! ! ! 
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Andy B
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| Posted 27-04-2012 at 21:39
Well done Michael. Could you let us know the approximate location of your dolmen and a photo so we can plot it on our map and create a page for it. I would like to let everyone know the good news via our main news pages and newsletter.
Thanks
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michaelhauser
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|  Posted 28-04-2012 at 12:35
Hi Andy, the location of the dolmen in numbers is a big problem for me because whenever I point the mouse on the site of google Earth, I get different numbers. Today : 27°35'10 79°N , 90°44'23 36°O, 2647 m. But it is easy to find it on the google map,when I try to discribe it. First find Central Bhutan Jakar, then the runway of new Batpalathang airport, next little north is Thamshing monastery with a yellow roof. From Thamshing a dirt road is leading south, 150m later it turns in a 90° ankle. Below that ankle is an oval circle, just outside the circle stands the dolmen. That map must have been updated recently after the airport was inaugurated, one can see a lot of new construction going on in the area, I was not there since one year. At the moment we have only the photo which Kai has submitted, but I hope soon we get more from Karma Tensin. As HM the King has visited the site on 26th for the first time, I expect photos in the bhutanese newspaper http://www.kuenselonline.com soon. In Bhutan there is a saying "nothing is ours but time",so let`s be patient.
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KaiHofmann
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| Posted 29-04-2012 at 21:40
Hi Andy,
I created a site page for this dolmen, yet. The page is showing the coordinates Michaels gave me- there is also a photo of it , Richard (a friend of Michael) sent me.
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Andy B
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| Posted 29-04-2012 at 21:46
Many thanks Kai, I didn't put two and two together
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=31017
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