In the Tibetan regions of Sichuan, and again just north east of Lhasa stand hundreds of stone tower but by now no one knows why they were built, who built them or are even sure when they were built, and this film is an enquiry aiming to answer some of those questions.
The film was made by Frederique Darragon and Michel Peissel for the Discovery Channel in 2003, and follows Frederique on her six trips to the region to find out more about the towers.
Some answers are forthcoming, carbon dating is fairly accurate, and we find they were built for the most part around 700-800 years ago; the descendants of the people who built them still live in the same area, and they did so without modern tools and equipment even though some are very high indeed.
Many speculative theories are put forward as to their purpose, but it seems no answer was really satisfactorily given in the film at least, but it does give us a chance to look at the cultures and history of the peoples in this region, who are mainly still animist in belief.
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I too descend from a culture that did not use the written word however we know everything about our cultural heritage since our arrival in the country we now associate as ‘home’. There are however, many theories as to the origins of our race pre arriving in New Zealand. It saddens me that these towers exist and yet no one has any idea as to their origins, their purpose or indeed who was responsible for their construction. The folklore doesn’t even appear to explain their presence. A mystery indeed. Maybe one day we will learn more of these magnificent and intriguing structures…..