Documentation of Discovery: Petroglyphs and Pictographs in Dhetang, Mustang
April 19, NAFA
In a remarkable discovery, hundreds of unique Petroglyphs and Pictographs have been found in the Dhetang region of Shar-ri, Mustang, Nepal. This discovery not only redefines the history of the Lo Mustang region but also enriches our understanding of the Cultural Landscape of Lo Mustang and its inhabitants. Most significantly, it adds a new, captivating chapter in the History of Art in Nepal.
Dr. Fidel Devkota, a filmmaker and anthropologist, presented his recent findings from the region and delved into the unique aspects and significance of the artwork from Mustang at Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Naxal.
Dr. Devkota holds a Bachelor’s degree in Film Studies, MA, and PhD in Visual Media Anthropology. His films, photography, publications, and research works mainly focus on human-environmental relationships, addressing the themes of spiritual, social, and economic transformation in a time of environmental and political change in the Himalayas. His main research area also includes, but is not limited to, Tibetan studies, Himalayan Studies, Himalayan Religion, Buddhist Studies, Bon, Film and Theatre Studies, Sowa Riga, Visual, Applied, and Environmental Anthropology.
He is also a visiting faculty member of the Department of Art and Design at Kathmandu University, teaching filmmaking and visual anthropology in BFA and MFA programs. He is currently working on documenting recently discovered pictographs and petroglyphs in the Dhetang region of Shar-ri, Lo Mustang, a project funded by Gerda Henkel Stiftung (Germany).
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