Bhutan's Buddhist history began in the 7th century and
many temples and monasteries trace their origins back
many hundreds of years. Most of the dzongs were built
during the 17th century thanks to the figure featured
in this slate carving: Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. A political
and religous refugee from Tibet, this powerful figure
is considered the founder of what is now known as the
Kingdom of Bhutan.
