IDNO

P.96754.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“F. W. became Political Officer in Sikkim on January 4th, 1933.
94. “Tongsa dzong looking up Tongsa chu 7.7.33”
See gi: Tongsa
“We first caught sight of Tongsa itself from about three miles off. Looking up the precipitous, densely wooded valley of the Togsa chu, the large white dzong with its white-towered outworks reared above us on the hill-side”. MPOW: 74 [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

S Asia; Bhutan; Near Tongsa [Tongsa Dzong]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

7 July 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Place: Tongsa Dzong was built in 1648. It is both the first & second kings who ruled the country from this ancient seat. All five kings of Bhutan held the post of Tongsa penlop (honorary Governor) prior to being crowned as King. A massive structure with many levels which slopes down the contour of hill on which it is set. Because of its highly strategic position on the only connecting route between eastern & western sectors the Tongsa penlop was able to control the whole of the eastern region effectively for centuries. [Dawa Dem 18/9/2008]

The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]