PHUDZELING (Troglodyte settlement of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 05/07/2016

A cluster of 55 man-made, rock-cut chambers ('cave' dwelling / settlement, souterrain). Situated an hours walk east of Kag (Nepali: Kagbeni) and 50 to 125 m above the right (northern) riverbank of the lower Dzong Chu (Nepali: Jhong Khola; also: Muktinath valley). Most of the 'caves' are ruined to remnant back walls only, but some remained with entrances smaller than the cve room behind. Dug into the easternmost and highest part of the cave cluster the remains of an ascending passage with some preserved steps was interpreted as a subterrean semi-spiral staircase leading to a watchtower above.The site was speleologically negotiated, surveyed, mapped and archaeologically investigated in spring 1992. Radiocarbon dating (SIMONS et al. 1994) proved the site to be occupied in BP 2565 ± 55 = calBC 805-766, BP 2222 ± 24 = calBC 363-200. A fire ceremony seams to have been undertaken in AD 1008± 24 in one of the caves.