00:00The mustang caves, also called the sky caves of Nepal, actually are a group of over 10,000
00:06man-made caves located high up in the cliffs of the upper mustang regions of Nepal, near the
00:12Hamalayas. These caves are carved into the sides of steep rocky cliffs, some of them as high as 155
00:20feet above the ground. Because of their locations, they are often called sky caves. No one knows
00:27exactly who built the caves or why, but experts believe they may be over 2,000 years old.
00:34Over the years, these caves have been used for many purposes. At different times, people lived in them,
00:40buried their dead in them, or used them as a meditation chamber by monks. Some caves have
00:46old paintings, ancient scripts, and even human remains, giving clues about how people lived
00:53long ago. The mustang region used to be part of the ancient kingdom of Lu, and it has strong ties to
01:00Tibetan culture. Because it is so remote, it was close to outsiders until the early 19th century.
01:07Even today, it's not easy to reach the caves. You have to hike or ride a horse through rugged mountain
01:14terrain. But for those who visit it, feels like stepping back in time. In the early 2000s,
01:21archaeologists began exploring the cave more deeply. They found amazing discoveries like
01:27Buddhist morals, manuscripts written in ancient languages, and skeletons that helped researchers
01:33understand how people in the region lived centuries ago. These discoveries made the mustang
01:39caves one of the most mysterious and important historical sites in the Himalayas. In 2010,
01:46a team of mountaineers and archaeologists uncovered 27 human remains in two biggest caves near Samzong.
01:54The relatively intact skeletons, dating from the third to eight centuries before Buddhism came to
02:00mustang, had cut marks on the bones. Scientists believe that this burial ritual may have been related
02:06to the born Buddhist practice of sky burial. To this day, when a citizen of mustang dies, the body is
02:13sliced into small pieces, bones included to be swiftly snatched up by the vultures. The mustang's
02:20eco-museum, about a 15-minute walk from mustang's airport, displays a collection of beads, bones,
02:27and pendants found at the caves. Scientists divided cave use in upper mustang into three periods. As early
02:34as 1000 BC, the caves were used as burial chambers. During the 10th century, the region is thought to have
02:41been frequently battled over and consequently placing safety over convenience. Families moved into the
02:47caves, turning them into living quarters. By the 14th century, the caves function as meditation chambers.
02:54Research groups have continued to investigate these caves, but no one has yet understood who built the
03:01caves and why they were built. The site has been listed as a UNESCO tentative site since 1996.
03:08Overall, the mustang caves are not just holes in the rock. They are a window into Nepal's ancient
03:14culture, belief, and way of life. They remain one of the most fascinating and hidden treasures in the
03:20world. If you liked this video, please comment, share, and subscribe.
03:24Thanks for watching.
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