A Survey of the Temples of Ladakh, Ruined and Intact, Until the Mid-15th Century

Abstract

While research in Ladakh has generally more focused on the art visible inside its intact temples, this study is the first attempt at surveying and analysing all the temples of the region until the mid-15^th century, regardless of their state of conservation. It is based on the documentation in the field of 114 temples, an unprecedented corpus for the region. The temples are presented in their overall archaeological environment, and their physical attributes are deconstructed in an attempt at providing statistics (materials of construction, layouts, topographical settings, geographical location, etc.), at creating typologies when relevant (of their plan, orientation, etc.), and at trying to discern geographical and chronological trends. The surveys behind this documentation represent over 5,200 km of tracks covered on foot, and the analyses are based on the study of a broader corpus of 2,100 heritage sites ranging from fortifications to Buddhist carvings.