Medieval Mongolian Burials, Investigated in the Egiin-Gol Valley (Northern Mongolia)

Abstract

In the summer of 2018, as part of a joint Mongolian-Russian expedition organised by staff from Ulaanbaatar and Altai Universities, archaeological research was carried out in the Egyin-gol valley (Hutag-Undur somon of the Bulgan aimag of Mongolia). The planned work included the excavation of four burials from Mongolian times in the localities of Ikh Khutul and Elst Khutul. This article presents the results of such activities in detail. Particular attention is paid to the recorded gravestones and grave structures, as well as the position and orientation of buried people. These data reflect the specifics of the implemented ritual in comparative analysis with the materials of other medieval graves discovered and excavated in the valley of Egijn Gol. There is a good prospect of studying and generalising information about archaeological sites from Mongolian times in an area which was planned to be flooded by a reservoir during the construction of a hydroelectric power station.