Key Information

Photographer

Hugh E. Richardson

Collection

Hugh Richardson

Date of Photo

1949

Region

Yarlung Valley Region > Yumbu lakhar

Accession number

2001.59.15.42.1

Image Dimensions

55 x 55 mm

The tower of the ancient palace of Yumbu lakhar in the Yarlung valley. The tower is topped by a gilded rgya-phibs canopy.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative film nitrate

Date Acquired

Donated August 2001

Donated by

The executors of the estate of Hugh E. Richardson

Expedition

Richardson's 1949 tour of the Yarlung and Chyongye valleys

Previous Catologue Number

Negative Album 9 No. 42

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Notes on negative album (slip cover) - 'Drikhung. Chongye. etc.' in Richardson's hand in white. (Yellow spine label) 'DRIKHUNG. CHONGYE. KOTSHAL. RGYAMA. Ganden 1948'. (Cover) - '9 DRIKHUNG. CHONGYE. YARLUNG. GYAMA. GANDEN' [KC 15/5/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Notes in negative index - Folio 42. 'Yum bu bla mkhar'. [KC 15/5/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Richardson's Handlist, Negative book '9' 'Drikhung, Chongye etc.' [nos] 42-6, 'Yum-bu bla-mkhar (Bla-sgang) Yam-bu gla sgang. Reputedly earliest palace of Tibetan kings. See Mkhyen Brtse p. 125. n.44. The building, apparently at one time a castle with a watch tower was converted into a sort of chapel' [KC 17/5/2006]

Other Information - Setting

Other Information - Setting: Richardson describes this site in High Peaks, Pure Earth , London, Serindia Publications, 1998, p. 319. "Further south [of Khra 'brug in the Yarlung valley] is Yum-bu Bla-mkhar (1949), the ancient palace of the Tibetan kings, prominent on a rocky hill. It is a narrow rectangular building with a slender white tower topped by a gilded rgya-phibs canopy. By tradition it was founded by the mythical king Nya-khri Btsan-po and it is associated, rather more possibly , with king Tho-tho-ri who may be placed tentatively in the middle of the fifth century. Legend has it that in his reign the first Buddhist books fell from heaven onto the roof of the palace, though they could not be understoood at the time. The story gives sanctity to the building which, which is approached by a narrow path up a steep hill and entered through a low door beyond which a steep ladder leads to the first floor. ..."

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Tower of the ancient palace of Yumbu Lakhar in Yarlung" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.59.15.42.1.html>.

For more information about photographic usage or to order prints, please visit the The Pitt Rivers Museum.