Eight rock carvings from the period of the Tibetan Empire (618-842 AD) were found in the Tibet autonomous region’s Markham county. They were found during a scheduled survey by Chinese researchers.

The ancient rock art was found across eight sites in the county’s three townships. They include cliffside carvings, circular engraved statues, ancient Tibetan texts, and Mani stones – rocks inscribed with the six syllabled mantra, as a form of prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. Some of the petroglyphs are said to be located less than 600 meters from the nearest villages. According to the researchers, the petroglyphs date to either the reign of Tibetan King Trisong Detsan (755-797 AD) or Tride Songtsan (798-815 AD). Over the years many stone carvings have been uncovered in Markham county, including a giant statue of the Vairochana Buddha found in 2011 – one of the three biggest in Tibet.

(after China Daily)