The castles or khar built by ancient nobilities in eastern and central Bhutan are historic sites. The nobilities are said to have descended from Tibetan aristocrats and thus the architecture of the khar were perhaps influenced by Tibetan structures as were the later dzongs of the 17th century. Although there are no known ancient accounts of the khar structures and their owners, we have some records written down in the 17th century to supplement the many oral stories about the rulers who resided in the khar castles.