We had a remarkable experience during our research expedition to the Rongo area in Changthang’s Nyoma block in 2025. We met a village elder, Tsewang Palgay who mentioned a valley between Tiling and Ngyuguchan on the route to Dungti. He said the valley is scattered with desert-varnished boulders and stones with etchings and markings made by ancient humans. These rock surfaces bearing petroglyphs stand as silent testimony to the lives that once animated the high altitude landscapes of Changthang.
Guided by Kaga Palgay, we visited the little-known Tiling valley where he pointed out the petroglyphs that had remained hidden, undiscovered, and unappreciated for centuries. The valley is spread over an approximate area of 434,278 sq. m. The petroglyphs revealed an extraordinary range of motifs including Dong (Figure 1) i.e. wild yak, which are much larger than domestic yak, ibex, snow leopards, lizards, hunting scenes, and symbolic markings. While many of these motifs mirrored familiar themes also seen in Sham and Nubra valleys, others were strikingly distinctive.
One particularly remarkable boulder had a heavily pecked depiction of what appeared to be a gathering (Figure 2). The carving portrays a human figure in a gown-like dress topped with a hat, raising his arms high above his head. Surrounding him are several other figures in what seems like a circle along with some animals. Near this procession, the presence of animals—especially the Dong, illustrated with its distinctive large horns and uplifted hump to emphasise its massive torso—further enriches the narrative conveyed by the stone.
Another unique finding was on the edge of an elongated rock where a human figure was etched with his hand raised with an enlarged palm raised towards the sky and his arms piercing past what seems to be an animal carcass (Figure 3). This scene was very distinct as it resembled a hunting scene as he carried his bounty on his shoulder and extended his arm to pierce through it.
There was also a scene of what seemed like a sword-fight with each member carrying a shield-like tool in one hand and a stick or sword in the other (Figure 4). This scene was made in rudimentary style by scratching the surface of the rock instead of pecking it. This piece of art seems to be more recent than the rest.
There were also spirals, ladders and geometric representations drawn, which indicated some form of spiritual belief system. We also observed a representation of a mythical being that wore a helmet with horns and its torso had geometrical shapes including diamonds and circles. It also had long, bent legs and spread-out toes resembling a lizard (Figure 5).
The most fascinating find was a pair of anthropomorphic figures riding on the back of an animal that seems to be a later addition to the rock, which had an older zoomorphic figure with multi-tined horns (Figure 6). The zoomorphic figure was done earlier as it has sun-tanned etchings. The landscape of Ladakh has no records of such an animal though there are records from Tibet and Kashmir of an animal called red deer (Hangul in Kashmiri), which has such horns.
It is critical that such priceless artefacts are documented, studied and conserved. It is in this context that Ladags Norskal plays a pivotal role. Initiated by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDC, Leh), this pioneering project marks an important step towards preserving Ladakh’s past for future generations. It aims to document heritage sites and uncover forgotten narratives from villages across Leh district. Findings such as these highlight the importance of projects like Ladags Norskal, which combine oral history with on-ground research. By bridging memory and material culture, the project is meant to safeguard Ladakh’s tangible heritage while also ensuring that they are documented and shared with public. These findings were very promising as the villagers mentioned that the Indian Army had a base here between 1985 and 1999 but this site remained hidden.
By Jigmet Yangchen Katpa
Jigmet Yangchan Katpa is Research Manager at Ladags Norskal Project, LAHDC, Leh.
Photographs by Thinles Dawa
Field Researchers at Ladags Norskal Project, Rigzin Dolma, Thinles Dawa, and Stanzin Skaldan assisted with the fieldwork.