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Rock Art and Archaeology:Investigating Ritual Landscape in the Mongolian Altai

Field Report 2011

William W. Fitzhugh and Richard Kortum, EditorsMaegan Tracy, Producer

Published in February 2012 by:

The Arctic Studies CenterNational Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian InstitutionWashington, D.C.

National Museum of MongoliaUlaanbaatar, Mongolia

National Museum of Mongolia

Arctic Studies Center

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Fig. 1: Study area highlighted in red on Mongolia map; highlighted in black on detail map

Khoton Project Field Report 2011

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Figure CaptionStudy area highlighted in red on Mongolia map; highlighted in black on detail mapRichard Kortum, Theresa Markiw, William Fitzhugh, Daniel Cole, Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan (Bayaraa), Tserendagva (Tsedo), Jagalsaikhan Bataar (Jagaa), Ken Lymer, Dave Edwards. Students: Tyler Wertsch, Andrew Hyder, Elissa Bullion, Will Taylor, Luke Champouillon, James Mills, D. Rivers, Burentugs, Shinsaran Dshinesaran (Shine), Enkhsaikhan (Enkh), Zayabaatar (Zaya), Sandanjants (Sanda). Cooks: Bakhidkuli, Janat. Drivers: Suldbaatar (Sulda), Kassim, Canat (Conti). Photo By Dave EdwardsBase camp with Altai Mountains reflected in Khoton Nuur, view SExcavating B1-1 khirigsuur, view STheresa, Elissa, and Andrew excavating Biluut 1-1 Feature 2, view NWBiluut 1-1Mongolian students mapping B1-1 khirigsuur mound Crew at work exposing B1-1 burial, view SEDave Edwards photographing B1-1 khirigsuurDave scans burial B1-1 with metal detector, view SEDan Cole and Ken Lymer at work-centralB1-2 mound, level 2 rocks exposed, view SB1-2 “Paleolithic” site, view SB1-2 mound 3 iron knife from level 3 rocksElissa and Andrew at B2-4 with storms over AltaiB2-4 skull in situ, view ESum Center near Aral TolgoiN side of 3rd deer stone at Aral Tolgoi with animal figure and chevron emblem B2-3 ‘zebra’ animal with hunterB2-3 child burial, view EStrange horned figure B-4Rainbow on camp site. Peat Valley Site Biluut 3-3 surface cleared, view NWBiluut 3-1 Feature 4B2-2, Pazyryk burial, view NWB2-2 Pazyryk burial, photo by Dave EdwardsTheresa Markiw painting B2-4 individualB2-3 (Pond Site) standing slab, view NExcavation of B2-2 Pazyryk burial with storm coming in. Photo by Dave EdwardsB1-3 excavation with sheep and goats looking onLocal women selling wares at Aral Tolgoi NaadamLuke wrestling at NaadamB2-2 Argali sheep gold ornament from Pazyryk burialYoung horse racersB2-5 Stone Man site, F1, view NWTsengel governor’s party with dig teamExcavating Pazyryk grave featureRe-excavating looter’s pit at B2-6, view WBiluut team at East Bay 3 deer stone, view NWEast Bay 3 view SNadaam WeddingHospitality in host’s ger at Naadam weddingWhite Falcon, the cook’s daughter Packing up camp and taking down gers

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Part II


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Figure Caption2011 overview of project sites.2011 project sites.B1-1 Feature 1 hearth, view NB1-1 Feature 2 hearth, view SBiluut 1-1 khirigsuur, view SWBiluut 1-1 feature 2 map.Biluut 1-1 skeletal remains, view WBiluut 1-1 khirigsuur, deer stone with three-slash face, (after removal from mound for photograph)Biluut 1-1 distributionBiluut 1-2 mound 3, view SEBiluut 1-2 charcoal sample locationBiluut 1-2 mound 3 surface rocks cleanedBiluut 1-2 mound 3 mapProfile and map.Biluut 1-3, Pond Site, view NWB1-3 ‘grave’ feature, view NWB1-3 cobble hearth (Feature 1) view NB1-3 standing stone with rocks cleaned, view NB1-3 Feature 2, charcoal sample #2, profile viewB1-3 Pond site.Biluut 1-4 hillside siteBiluut 2-1 Surface Map.Biluut 2-1 upper burial pit, view NWBiluut 2-1 stone coffin with collapsed cover slabs and sheep bones outside east wall, view EHorse skeleton from Pazyryk burial, view S, photo by Dave EdwardsRemains of log chamber beneath Pazyryk burial box floor, view S, photo by Dave EdwardsBiluut 2-2 Pazyryk SiteBiluut 2-3 Map 1Biluut 2-3 burial slabs exposed, view W. photo by Dave EdwardsBiluut 2-3 mound with surface rocks cleaned, view WBiluut 2-3 Map 2.Biluut 2-3 coffin beneath capstonesBiluut 2-3 ‘child’ burial Finds.Biluut 2-4 burial in flexed position, view S (trowel points north), photo by Dave EdwardsBiluut 2-4 2nd level rocks, view NBiluut 2-4 Maps 2 and 3.Excavation of Biluut 2-5, photo by Dave EdwardsBiluut 2-5 stone man, view NWBiluut 2-5, 2nd level rocks, view SEBiluut 2-5, pre-excavation, view SWBiluut 2-5 Stone Man Site Map 1Biluut 2-5 Stone Man Site Map 2Biluut 2-5 Stone Man Site Map 3, Feature 1Biluut 2-6 Hillside site Maps 1 & 2Biluut 3-1 mound with gathering storm overhead, view NWBiluut 3-1 stone boxes and possible seats, view NBiluut 3-1 stone boxes, surface Map 1Biluut 3-2 Empty Grave SitePeat Valley Site Biluut 3-3 surface cleared, view WBiluut 3-3, Peat Valley SiteCentral Hearth East ProfileBiluut 3-3 microblade coreBiluut 3-3 hearth baseBiluut 3-3 Feature 4

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Major rock art sites at BiluutRock art team on Biluut 3, southern slopeJagaa and Champouillon trace a panelTserendagva and Kortum examine a figurePetroglyph locations on Biluut 3Mounted archer with elaborate headdress (Turkic Period)Ibex in early nomadic style (Early Iron Age)Tamga (period uncertain)Small Mongolian deer, less than 10cm (Late Bronze Age)Human figure with bovids (Archaic (pre-Bronze) possibly Paleolithic)Cargo, or caravan scene (Bronze Age)Birthing woman (Possible Neolithic)Unusual anthropomorphic figure (date uncertain)Rare side-on view of a chariot, driver, and horses (possible Early Iron age)

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Biluut 3-3 Feature 5Biluut 3-3 Test Pit 2 cultural level at old ground surface B3-3 hearth, consolidated mass in SEB3-3 findsEast Bay 1, hearth 7 completedEast Bay 3, view SEast Bay 3, hearth 1 completedEast Bay-1 Khirigsuurs, Hearth Circles MapEast Bay 3, Khirigsuurs, Deer StonesEast Bay 3 deer stone upright, view NWEast Bay 3 deer stone back in original position, view NW

Figure Caption

Part V

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Part VILocations of 2011 and 2012 study area in Mongolia highlighted in Yellow.Recently dug and back-filled circular khirigsuur mound. 2147m elevation; 597085.85, 5389527.61; 597084.79, 5389534.34; 597075.70, 5389534.26; 597075.26, 5389526.46 (UTM coordinates: E, N).Rock art on a boulder on the slope of Broken Mountain at 2141m elevation; 600264.54, 5390947.23Four visitors who came twice to check out my work Large standing stone in a pasture over 1km north of Biluut 2 at 2115m elevation; 597605.07, 5392543.24.2011 Field mapping collection localities and archaeological dig sites. Red dots indicate GPS collection sites, yellow dots indicate Archaeological dig sites (some fall outside image area). Contour interval is at 15m. Localities in relation to aspect: North (red), East (yellow), S (cyan), W (blue). While most archaeological sites trended to S and W, the aspect of the petroglyphs were found to be more dependant on location of suitable exposed rock sheen.A significant majority of the archaeological features are found in relatively flat slope areas, whereas the petroglyphs can be found on virtually any degree of slope. Green indicates flat slope, continuous to red (very steep).Directional stonework in the valley between B1 and B2 may align with the peak on Biluut 2. (Shown in red).Alignment of the axes of a spoked khirigsuur, as well as the alignment of several burial mounds in a row may point to distant peaks. (Shown in yellow).

A house built for the ‘Reindeer People’Sh. Sodov, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife Kh. Puntsagjav, of Darkhad ethnicityTs. Sanji, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife Sh. Nansalma, of Darkhad Mongol ethnicityL. Jajuur’s Tuvan birth certificate, 1941L. Jajuur, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife S. Yanjima, of Darkhad-Mongolian ethnicityRemains of fish factory house on the mouth of the Khodorgo River, photo taken in 2007

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Part VI


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Table of Contents

Map

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Appendix 1

Appendix II

Appendix III

Sites excavated in the 2011 Field Season

Introduction and OverviewWilliam W. Fitzhugh, Richard Kortum, and Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan

Khoton Lake Project Field Journal 2011William W. Fitzhugh, transcribed by Alyna Rasile

Field Notes and MapsPrepared by William Fitzhugh, Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan, and Maegan Tracy.

Report on the 2011 Khoton Lake Project (in Mongolian)Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan

Latest Rock Art Research at Khoton Lake, Summer 2011 Richard Kortum

Khoton Project Cartographic DiaryDan Cole

Ethnographic Research: Interethnic Relationships among Tuvans and Mongols. Darhad, Northern Mongolia (2009)Ts. Ayush

Radiocarbon Date ListWilliam Fitzhugh

GPS Data and Map

Site Reports

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3-34

35-73

74-107

108-114

115-124

125-131

132-134

135-137

139-177

cover photo by Dave Edwards


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Fig. 2: 2011 Project Participants:Richard Kortum, Theresa Markiw, William Fitzhugh, Daniel Cole, Jamsran-jav Bayarsaikhan (Bayaraa), Tserendagva (Tsedo), Jagalsaikhan Bataar (Jagaa), Ken Lymer, Dave Edwards. Students: Tyler Wertsch, Andrew Hyder, Elissa Bullion, Will Taylor, Luke Champouillon, James Mills, D. Rivers, Burentugs, Shinsaran Dshinesaran (Shine), Enkhsaikhan (Enkh), Zayabaatar (Zaya), Sandanjants (Sanda). Cooks: Bakhidkuli, Janat. Drivers: Suldbaatar (Sulda), Kassim, Canat (Conti). Photo by Dave Ed-wards.


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Fieldwork at Khoton Lake was undertaken in 2011 as the first year of the National Endowment for the Humanities Three-Year Collaborative Research Grant: “Rock Art and Archaeology: Investigating Ritual Landscape in the Mongolian Altai.” The overall goal of the project is to inventory the archaeological and rock art resources of the Biluut Hills petroglyph complex, including surrounding territory of Lake Khoton; to establish links between these disparate sets of data; and to explore the changing cultural landscape patterns of this region from Paleolithic times to the present, especially as revealed by ritual and ceremonialism. While previous studies have investigated the rock art of Western Mongolia and Inner Asia (e.g., Jacobson, et. al.) or the region’s culture history––especially of the Russian Altai––little research has been done to integrate or synthesize these two bodies of data into a unified cultural reconstruction. The task is not an easy one, for without organic preservation in archaeological sites, or contextual data from rock art, the archaeological and petroglyphic records do not easily mesh into one voice. Nevertheless, it is important to attempt to assimilate finds from both in order to discover where points of articulation can be found and to acknowledge where gaps cannot be bridged.

The 2011 Khoton Lake Project conducted fieldwork on the northern shores of Lake Khoton (Khoton Nuur) for six weeks from early June to mid-July. We arrived at Khoton Lake on June 6th and departed on July 12th. A team of 26 Americans and Mongolians combined efforts at documenting rock art and locating and excavating archaeological sites in the immediate vicinity of the three Biluut Hills and around the drainage of Khuiten Gol, a modest swift-flowing stream that drains one of the more fertile mountain steppe zones in the Altai Mountains less than 10 km from the Chinese border. The Biluut Hills contain an estimated 10,000 individual petroglyph images. Surrounding grazing lands and fresh-water lake shores offer excellent habitat for wild game and fish, as well as for domestic animals, while valley connections permit communication with outlying regions in all directions. The abundance of fresh water augmented by frequent summer storms makes for relatively stable pasturage, while large stands of Siberian Larch on the northern flanks of the Altai Nuruu across the lake provide a plentiful supply of timber for housing, heating, stock pens, and lighting. 2011 fieldwork concentrated on recording all of the rock art on Biluut 3, and on excavating a sample of archaeological sites of different types and suspected ages. In all, approximately 4,000 petroglyphic images were documented and more than 200 archaeological sites were mapped. Of these, 14 sites were excavated and dated.

Results include detailed GIS databanks for all of the recorded rock art images and archaeological sites. Biluut rock art spans more than 8,000 years; a small number of images may date to the late Paleolithic. It remains unclear, however, when the Altai’s Ice Age glaciers retreated from the Khoton Lake basin, freeing it for human and animal occupation. Given the fresh appearance of many rock surfaces and well-developed glacial outwash topography, ice retreat may have occurred as late as 10,000 years ago, thus obviating any chance of earlier human settlement (or rock art). However, by 6,000-8,000 years ago Archaic-style rock art images are clearly attested, and thereafter large

PART I

Introduction and Overview

William W. Fitzhugh, Richard Kortum, and Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan


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quantities of images can be attributed to Neolithic, Early and Late Bronze Age, Iron Age, Turkic, Medieval, and Ethnographic periods based on a combination of stylistic, subject matter, and patination features. Damage to rock art panels from modern graffiti and vandalism also represents a significant component of this record. While rock art panels frequently display palimpsests of images from different periods, sometimes showing super-positioning over earlier figures, nothing like the disastrous defacing by modern ‘graffiti artists’ seems to have occurred at earlier times. A large number of special, rare, or otherwise highly significant images were discovered in summer 2011 by the project’s rock art team.

Archaeological work resulted in a series of radiocarbon-dated ritual sites of which human burials represents only one form of ceremonialism. Ten of the 14 sites investigated in detail were burials; all of these produced radiocarbon dates, which ranged from 4,000 BP to 800 BP, spanning the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age to the Genghis Khan period. Among the earliest were ritual sites with rectangular structures and large boulder pavements with central pit burials. One of these enigmatic rectangular structures (near the mouth of Peat Valley) was constructed with internal trough-like features. Late Bronze Age khirigsuurs are common, dating to ca. 3,000 BP; most have axial radials. Two that we excavated contained Eurasian-style deer stones near the northern or eastern edges of their central mounds. However, one extended human burial dating to the khirigsuur period (ca. 3,000 BP) was found under a simple stone mound without khirigsuur architecture. Pazyryk style ‘chained’ burials are also common. One that we excavated had been looted in ancient times; but we nevertheless recovered several a fine pair of gold foil argali sheep horse ornaments and Pazyryk-style pottery, dated by C-14 to ca. 2,000 BP. This is rather late for Pazyryk sites; indeed, this date places this site and its cultural material squarely in the middle of the Xiongnu empire period, of which we have found no sign in the Khoton Lake region. Several Turkic ritual sites we excavated, including a carved stone man site, were found to contain no human remains and seem to have involved ritual animal sacrifice. Finally, a single flexed human burial dating to the Medieval period was found beneath a small 2m-wide pavement. Several of these sites demonstrated connections with rock art from the surrounding hills. The iconic Mongolian deer image appears frequently in the rock art as well as on deer stones, although not on those in the immediate vicinity of Khoton Lake. Mountain goat images which predominate in the rock art were also found on some archaeological features, including the Pazyryk gold foil argali heads.

Cartographic work provided a strong backbone for both the rock art studies and archaeological research. Detailed GIS-based mapping is providing the Khoton Lake project with a means of building topographic relationships within and between petroglyphic and archaeological data sets. This will allow us to identify patterns in the landscape and thus to analyze multiple strands of rock art, ritual, and settlement data.

One of the most surprising results was the consistent lack of artifacts in any of these ritual sites that span a period of ca. 3,500 years from late Neolithic/early Bronze Age to Medieval times. Another is the occurrence of multiple styles of burials during the same time period. Perhaps this results from ritual variation within a given cultural group; alternatively, it may signal fluctuating cultural boundaries or cultural margins where external intrusions occur in areas of long-standing ritual stability. Perhaps Pazyryk culture persists longer here and resists Xiongnu incursion. Our research thus far has raised many questions. We expect our research in summer 2012 will help to answer some of these, and raise even more.


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PART II

Project Field Journal 2011

William W. Fitzhugh(transcribed by Alayna Rasile)


Friday June 3rdUlaanbaatarTo museum at 10 AM. Hoped to see Dembereldorj, international relations secretary for the National Museum of Mongolia, but he was not available. We spent four days in Ulaanbaatar, arriving late Monday night [May 30] and staying at Zaya’s Hostel. On Tuesday we checked in at the museum and found that Bayaraa was still in the field with Jean-Luc Houle in Khanuy Valley. Richard and Tsedo arranged at the Office of Immigration to have our stays extended beyond the 30-day limit. On Wednesday we had a tour of the Choijin Lama Monastery guided by Theresa Markiw’s former US Embassy colleague, Otgon, who translated the monastery guides. Beautiful materials in these temples. The day before, we spent several hours searching for a generator, eventually finding one the right size, about 1,000 watts, made with Japanese parts and assembled in Singapore. Wednesday night we went to the Tumen Ekh performance in their small theater south of the square. Brilliant performance of traditional singing, music and dance. Among the performers was an amazing contortionist. I met briefly with Robin Charpentier, local director of the ACMS office in UB, and did some strategizing about getting a Mongolian program for the 2013 Folklife Festival. On Thursday we had lunch with Ambassador Jonathan Addleton and his wife Fiona at their residence, and heard his take on the political situation in Mongolia. His views were open and refreshingly realistic. He may be able to help us with the festival proposal. It turns out that Otgon’s brother Otgonbayar is the Minister of Culture, so we may have some help through these connections. However, he may have left his post by then since there will have been a new presidential election.

Saturday June 4thUlaanbaatar to UlgiiLeft Zaya’s Hostel at 5 AM in two vans and a car with luggage just fitting 17 of us in all, and when we got to the plane it seemed like we nearly filled the EZnis turboprop. We lifted off promptly at 7 AM. Beautiful weather, which we had for the past five days in UB. Flying east from UB, we could see quite a few farmed fields, some newly plowed and many more than I’d seen before. Some progress is being made on Mongolian food production! A nice lunch was served on the flight, and we arrived with all baggage accounted for. Even better, the van with Tugsoo, the new Mongolia National Museum curator, and the driver who came from UB with our heavy gear and freight, were waiting for us at the airport. They had arrived this morning after driving straight through in three days without any major problems. Their chief freight is our digging gear, Paula DePriest’s generator, and our new spare generator. We drove directly to Canat’s in four vans and were welcomed at his Blue Wolf Travel Agency with a nice lunch. I immediately realized we were in a new cultural area––Kazakh and Muslim, not Mongol and Buddhist––by being presented with a fine salad of tomatoes and cucumbers! This will be a big change from our past Darkhad (North Mongolian) fare. We went together to the outdoor market around noon to buy shovels, picks, screening material, nails etc., and found it packed with people. The museum in town was closed; its director had died during the past


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year and no one has yet been appointed. We had hoped to arrange some programs with them, but this is questionable now. Dave Edwards scrounged for some wood to build a privy, but found only trash wood and very expensive. We spent most of the afternoon napping and lounging around, telling stories.

Dinner was at 7 PM and was a fish (tuna?)-flavored potato salad, tasty buuz soup, and cut fruit for dessert. Canat had arranged for a couple of musicians, a father and son, to play dobros: two-stringed traditional Kazakh instruments. Both were excellent, the father a statuesque, heroic figure in his beautiful costume and hat, and his son, who was somewhat more reserved in appearance but with a very engaging voice and personality. They sang in close harmony and performed traditional songs from Kazakh, Russian, and Mongol repertoires, referencing the joined history of their region. But no Chinese songs, or for that matter, Uighur, the Mongolians’ neighbors to the south, who are today much swamped by Han Chinese expansion. I mentioned the 2013 SI Folklife Festival to him, thinking the pair would be excellent candidates, and I purchased their CD to show the Smithsonian Folklife staff who had hoped to come to Mongolia this summer to research possible performers for the Festival. I sent a few emails––the last for several weeks––before turning in. We are staying in a set of gers (traditional Mongol/Kazakh felt tents) behind Canat’s headquarters. These are Kazakh-style gers with thin bent roof poles, making the roof about a foot higher than the Mongol ger, and decorated with Kazakh wall hangings. Outside the lattice frames they use a lining of yarn-wrapped reeds woven together in a basket-like construction. The yarn is wrapped around the individual reeds in multicolored bands. About midnight the dogs started howling just like they did the last time Richard and I slept out in Ulgii, and continued in waves all night. One of the dogs had a particularly sonorous voice. Luke added his notes to the chorus with a small dobro he bought this afternoon at the market. Sounds like he’ll get pretty good after a while.

Monday June 6thUlgii to Khoton NuurBayaraa filled me in on the work being done on the Freer manuscript, which has been translated but needs editing both for Mongolian and English. This project has been Saruulbuyan’s and is in limbo for the time being because of his health problems. At present the Mongolia National Museum has no specific plan for an exhibition or publication. It took a while to get out of Ulgii this morning because the UB van had some engine trouble; the fuel pump purchased in the market yesterday had to be replaced. Dave Edwards also needed to buy more wood to make some dig screens. All this was accomplished by about 11:30 AM and we set out in a caravan of five Russian vans, one of which was filled with our food and two cooks. We have been told that Canat had delivered two gers to our campsite and had them erected. Weather was beautiful and we made fairly good time, arriving in Tsengel at 3 PM for Fig. 3: Base camp with Altai Mountains reflected in Khoton Nuur,

view S


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more gas and a sign-off on our archaeology permit by the local administration. We had been able to get the park permit signed yesterday (later on this turned out to be not quite sufficient!).

The run to Tsengel took about three hours, counting many stops for minor repairs on the vehicles. After Tsengel we stopped for lunch along the Hovd River and then pushed on to the bridge, where one of our vans lost a bolt from its drive shaft. All of the spare parts from the nooks and crannies of the vehicles were dumped out on the ground, but to no avail, so it had to return to Ulgii (in fact, they managed to make some repairs and reached camp that night). At that point all the vehicles got separated and a free-for-all ensued. About 7 PM we reached the overlook above the NE corner of Khoton Nuur and had a great view of the lake and mountains to the south before winding our way through glacial moraines and glacio-fluvial deposits hundreds of feet above the lake, and then down along its north shore past the three-building hamlet of Sirgal and its army base, where Richard’s van caught up with us momentarily before falling behind again. We stopped to help a local guy get his truck started, then forded the Khuiten Gol and rounded the north side of Biluut 2. However, darkness fell, and we got led astray by one of our vans which took us on a wild goose chase west of Biluut until we prevailed, knowing exactly where we would find camp south of Biluut 1. When we finally pulled in we found two gers erected and all the other vans arrived, having taken a direct route around the south side of the Biluut hills. We piled into one of the gers and after a bowl of soup, hit the hay, our bodies looking like 22 spokes of a wheel, feet towards the fire and heads to the wall. Through the night we heard the roar of rivers cascading down the mountains across the lake, accompanied by Dave Edwards’ snores to anchor us at our new camp for the next six weeks. When the storm that coincided with our arrival cleared we had a near full moon to welcome us as well.

Wednesday June 8thAs it began to get light it also started raining and sleeting, and the patter on the roof kept us cozy in bed until the weather began to improve around 7 AM. First order of business was getting our tents up. I soon found that Dave Edwards had recommended a very fine backpacker tent consisting of a ground cloth attached to a pyramidal mosquito net with a central pole, and a shell fly that comes to the ground. I have my doubts it will hold in a big storm, even with the heavy-duty pegs I supplied instead of the small pencil-sized ones that came with the tent. I think I’ll be wishing I had my old North Face! (Turns out it was a fine, strong tent that withstood some harsh storms.) Dave started work on the privy, and others worked on a washing station that Dave, who had volunteered to be our camp manager, had planned. Several of us went to check in at the Army base, Camp Sirgal, where we met a young and business-like Lt. Amandes who welcomed us and stamped our park papers; so we are allowed to travel about, even on the south side of the lake. We bought some boards at a new

ranger station under construction nearby. It’s nice to see some infrastructure being developed! On the way back we stopped at several sites we were considering excavating, including the large khirigsuur we dated in 2008 and three probable Pazyryk burial complexes. Later in the day we climbed Biluut 1 and checked the rock art on the lower faces, and visited a nice small but beautifully preserved khirigsuur (Biluut 1-1), in which we found an Eurasian-style deer stone with three slashes on the face and no other markings. This khirigsuur is way up on a small plateau called Biluut 1-C and looks out over Lake Khoton and the Altai Mountains along the Chinese border. Fig. 4: Excavating B1-1 khirigsuur, view

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We started work in the small khirigsuur at Biluut 1-1 with Will, Andrew, Elissa and Bayaraa’s Mongolian students. Beautiful sunny weather. The van could get us to the top of this plateau where the site looks out over the lake. We set a grid and keyed in the two hearth ovals, F1 (southern) and F2 (northern), which my team began excavating while the Mongolians began trenching around the outside of the fence. By noon we had cleared down to the top of the F2 hearth deposit and trenched the fence. The van broke down while taking us to lunch, so I walked down, arriving the same time as the repaired van. Lunch was horshurs (a deep-fried Mongolian specialty consisting of onions and chopped lamb in a pastry envelope) and shredded carrot salad––both excellent. After an hour of rest we went back to work and got into some charcoal and burned bone fragments in Feature 2––very small amounts of bone and charcoal, unfortunately. During the afternoon we finished the western half of the khirigsuur and nearly completed the hearth.

Dinner was an excellent mutton and noodle soup. I was a bit in recovery mode from a slightly strained back and opted not to make a trip to visit the park ranger, who had insisted on seeing us. Apparently we still need some kind of permit for the National Park system, and when Tserendagva (Tsedo) drove down to ‘town’ with Richard they got an earful from a seemingly committed director of the National Park. Luckily, on their way to see the park director, Richard and Tsedo ran into Jagaa, who was on his way to our camp from Ulgii. Jagaa turned his jeep around and was an enormous help in breaking the ice with the director. It seems that Jagaa knows just about everybody around here, and everybody likes and respects him. In any case, we have to call UB and straighten this out tomorrow morning. The evening was a bit warmer than last night, and very still.

Wednesday June 8th A bit overcast early, but the morning later became bright, with thunderstorms building by midday. We took a huge crew to Biluut 1-1 including Dave Edwards and James Mills, who did some video filming. It was a spectacular view from the hill above the site, with floating ice in the lake and reverse reflections of the mountains creating strange visual perspectives, with the clean geometric shapes of the mound and its cleanly-excavated borders. We finished F2, getting a bit more bone and charcoal, enough at least to date. Bayaraa thinks some of the small bone pieces are phalanges of sheep or goats as per an observation by a zooarchaeologist who observed similar material on a project with him in the Khanuy Valley last year. We opened up F1 just before lunch and nearly finished turfing the mound before coming down for a lunch of lamb and peppers. Dave and Tyler have completed work on the toilet, shower, and water purification stations, so we are now a certified ‘green’ operation. The only remaining task––the hard part––is to get everyone to follow the

Fig. 5: Theresa, Elissa, and Andrew excavating Biluut 1-1 Feature 2, view NW

Deer Stone

Skin/Bark (?)

C14

Biluut 1-1 KhirigsuurN

Hearth Features

F1

F2

Mound

Cobble Fence

Fig. 6: Biluut 1-1


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rules, especially about hand-washing before meals and after using the toilet.

The afternoon work was cut short by an oncoming thunderstorm that forced us to retreat to camp but then did not materialize, giving us a couple of hours of holiday which we used to set up Paula’s generator and catch up on battery charging and field notes. We did manage to clear and map F1, the second hearth circle at Biluut 1-1, and had just started finding charcoal when the storm struck. So it looks like we will get a second dated hearth. And today we also verified that B-1-1 has a cruciform structure, with four radials aligned roughly N-S-E-W. Richard’s petroglyph crew has been working at Biluut 2 the past couple of days, filling in some missing data from previous surveys. They have also found a few ‘Paleolithic’ stone tools, one being a very nice large blade with lateral retouch. During the morning we tried reaching the official at the UB ministry of Interior by satellite phone to clear up the problem of our park permit. After many failed attempts we discovered his phone––a cell phone––is turned off. I took the occasion to call Lynne and found her at home watching a Netflix at 10 PM (we have a 13-hour difference here in Bayan Ulgii). She had had a great canoe trip on a northern VT lake with 12 others. Weather has been fine and she has been riding her bicycle and tending her garden, which is flourishing. Elaine Harp had called a few days ago, upset after reading our report in the ASC Newsletter––upset because it arrived by mail on the anniversary of Elmer’s death and on her (or his?) birthday. Too bad Lynne could come with us to Mongolia; Theresa Markiw is here with Richard and is having a great time, getting her ‘fill’ of archaeology by helping us dig bits of charcoal from F2 this morning.

Thursday June 9th A beautiful clear day and quite warm but dry. After a breakfast of a kind of cream of wheat we split into our two groups, with Dave Edwards and James Mills to do photo documentation. After dinner last night I climbed about on Biluut 1E (east end) looking at the rock art, finding several half-finished Mongolian deer engravings and many interesting Bronze Age figures, including a chariot drawn by two horses with a T-shaped harness. Richard showed me one his team found this morning at Biluut 2––an extremely rare, if not wholly unique, side view. At the B-1-1 khirigsuur we quickly finished the F1 hearth ring and by lunch completed cleaning the mounds. Lunch was a meat-filled dumpling soup, after which I showered using one of Richard’s three neat black solar bags rigged up by Dave behind a tarp barrier, so you could wash using only a few quarts of sun-warmed water. We returned to the site and spent the rest of the afternoon gridding and mapping the mound. We also got Dave up on top of the van to photograph the whole structure from high up. When he’s home he will assemble them all into a mosaic of the entire khirigsuur. While the Mongolian students were mapping rocks we surveyed the hill above, finding several circular hearth features and some possible ancient tools, one looking like a Levallois core. Bayaraa had his students mapping the mound rocks well into dinnertime, but they got it all done.

Fig. 7: Mongolian students mapping B1-1 khirigsuur mound


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After supper Jagaa, Bayaraa, Will and I went to Sirgal to see about getting the permit or contract we need from the National Park Director. We arrived about 8:30 and found him supervising the construction of their new park building, which is coming along fast and has interior paneling up.

He is an interesting character––Kazakh and a brother-in-law to Jagaa through his sister. He seemed pleased to hear we had got an OK from the central park director, but still needs us to sign ‘contracts’ probably dealing with environmental protection. Just before reaching Sirgal our van died and the driver found water in the oil, so we left him to deal with it and got a ride back for 15K tugriks of gas from the director’s driver in a very fine jeep with a radio good for 500 kilometers. The kids had bought some beer in the little store and we sat around the fire shooting the breeze for a while. The rest of the evening was warm and windless. The driver thought we’d have rain tomorrow. About 11 PM the van returned, repaired, for the moment.

Friday June 10thThe predicted rain did not materialize, although you could see plenty of it was falling to the east, even in Sirgal. The reprieve and cool cloudy weather was perfect for the task at hand––cleaning rocks from the mound. Fortunately, we had a large crew available including some brutes like Tyler, Dave Edwards’ nephew, who is also a great story-teller, like his uncle. We cleared half the mound at the west side by lunch (rice noodles and lamb) and the east half in the afternoon. Dave took lots of photos of the rock-heaving and controlled shots of the mound deconstruction. The American and Mongolian crews are merging very nicely and helping each other. About 5 PM we struck bone––part of a human skull––just when we thought we might have an empty grave. That brought us to a halt, and having isolated the grave area, which seems to have no defined burial box or slab cover, we proceeded excavating slowly. After another round of photos we decided to call a halt as we would not have time to finish before dark––here we were remembering the lantern-light burial excavation Bayaraa and I had made at Tsagaan near Tsengel a few years ago.

After dinner, I walked east along the shore and was surprised to find our volleyball on the beach

Fig. 9: Crew at work exposing B1-1 burial, view SE

Fig. 8: Dave Edwards photographing B1-1 khirigsuur


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across from the cove, apparently having been blown off our camp and ‘out to sea’ by the midday wind. Lots of nice potential camp and settlement areas along the shore, but I found no early archaeological signs. Many of the crew were in bed when I got back at 9:30 PM. Much heavy rock lifting! I picked up a couple more ‘paleo’ artifacts on the terraces above the shore and showed them to Tserendagva. He shrugged, a doubtful ‘maybe.’

Saturday June 11thToday Dan Cole is supposed to arrive in Ulgii and drive to Khoton Lake. The day began with beautiful weather and the news that Tyler was sick––whether from the dried meat (lamb) in our supper or the lake water is being debated. Several of us have had stomach problems, including Theresa. My own situation is as in all the other years: complete intestinal shut-down. Not debilitating, but a huge nuisance. We worked on our ‘guy’ in the mound all morning and found the bones in very poor condition, even the long bones. But we can tell ‘he’ is about 182 cm tall and oriented about 340 degrees, slightly to the north of the western radial. Richard’s rock art group showed up to see how things were going and Theresa walked up about 11:30 AM for a look. Dave got some good overhead shots and I kept the bones moist so they would not crack and spall. Meanwhile, I worked on excavating the slab-lined foundation of the mound’s outer border. It looks like a pit was dug about 20-30cm deep and slabs laid out around the perimeter, then a big fire was set, only around the perimeter, then the burial was put down and the mound built. Quite a bit of ash was present between the humus level and the subsoil. (Yesterday our van caught on fire about 200m from the site in a mess of smoke, a result of either an electrical fire or overheating, so we hiked up the rest of the way).

The afternoon task was to extract the bones and finish work on the slab perimeter, exposing the slabs attached to the eastern radial. Plenty of ash was present under the slabs. While taking a walk around the hillside during the afternoon, Bayaraa found a small cobble with three slashes and a circular mark above it on the surface a few hundred meters north of the site, just sitting on the ground by itself. Remarkable. Apparently, Kubarov has published a similar find from Gorni Altai. Such a casual creation (though not casual given the time required to produce it!) gives new meaning to the slashed faces on deer stones, perhaps suggesting an eternal sky god or spirit rather than being a substitution symbol for a human face, as we have thought it might mean on a

deer stone. We also have three slashes on our B-1-1 khirigsuur deer stone! Perhaps there is some relation between the two. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to back-filling the excavation; we

Fig. 10: Dave scans burial B1-1 with metal detector, view SE

Fig. 11: Dan Cole and Ken Lymer at work-central.


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succeeded in getting all the dirt back into the mound area and tomorrow will do the rocks and sod. Dan Cole arrived at 8 PM in a van filled with produce and other goodies that delighted the cooks––and us, as well, when a bottle of Pepsi appeared on the dinner table. Lots of evening talk with Dan about our work, his trip (amazingly uneventful) and news from the world (heat wave in DC already!) I think we lost one of the four swan chicks (born in the kettle pond near camp) last night, and today the goat herd was swarming around the pond. Whether they, a fox, or some other predator was the culprit is a mystery [correction: Will saw all four swan chicks doing fine the next Sunday morning]. Bayaraa and Tsedo say the 40 larch trees stacked up near the pond, with their bark trimmed off, are probably contraband from the forest across the lake; officially each purloined tree carries a fine of one million tugriks, approx. $750––so 40 million tugs or approx. $30,000 for the lot, if they get caught. Sunday June 12thWe’ve been here one week now and have enjoyed excellent weather and great success with the archaeology. The only problem has been health. Tyler is still down and not improving, and this morning Ken Lymer turned up with gastrointestinal distress. Dave checked with the cooks to make sure they were washing in boiled water, but made little headway as they do not think that that is the problem. Dan Cole had a good night and climbed up the hill before breakfast. Black clouds over the mountains at breakfast vanished by 9 AM, and we made our last trip up to the khirigsuur to move the last of the rocks back in and re-sod inside the fence. We got started on back-filling the rocks at 8:30 and were done with the dirt by 11 AM. Great spirit among the team, as usual! The site looked very fine when it was all done. Lunch was beef and fried peppers and rice. Soon after, black clouds rolled in and it rained all afternoon until 6 PM. I caught up on documenting my photos and then napped till 6:00 when Richard, Jagaa, and I took Dan for a tour of the surroundings by jeep. We got back to camp at 7:30 PM for a dinner of noodle soup, and now the boys are running off their nap energy playing soccer on the terrace behind camp. It’s turning out to be another nice evening. Tomorrow we start on one of the ‘Pazyryk’ burials.

Monday June 13thA grey cool morning with a breakfast of oatmeal and raisins. Left at 8:30 AM for the ‘Pazyryk’ mounds located between Biluut-1 and 2. Coordinates: Biluut 1-2 (probably Turkic) 6/13/11. GPS N48 39.330, E88 19.501, 2090m. We picked for excavation the large mound in the middle of the set of five pavement mounds and found all have been used recently for dumps and contained old shoes, glass, ashes, and other junk, including the lower leg of a cow. Cleaning the grass was slow work made interesting only by the appearance of a young Kazakh boy named Berdbai who appeared on horseback and watched from the sidelines before inching in, and in time, with Bayaraa’s encouragement, took up as Bayaraa’s assistant, excavating, carrying dirt, and offering some of the

Fig. 12: B1-2 mound, level 2 rocks exposed, view S


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intrepid students a ride on his horse. Later he galloped off and returned with a bag of fresh fish caught in the stream nearby.

We returned to the site after lunch and while the students finishing cleaning the pavement, I took Richard’s 2007 field notebook and tried to match it to sites on the ground. Only problem was that his Lat/Long were in seconds while my GPS is decimal minutes. Nevertheless I was able to match most of his locations and add cultural data to the descriptions. Bayaraa meanwhile went up the B-2 north side hill and found some interesting burials we might excavate. By 6 PM the site cleaning was done and we were ready to map; but alas we had no nails or string, so we’ll start in the morning. So far, we’ve found small bones in grey ashy soil overlying the upper cobblestone mound cap.

Dinner was mutton soup and fried fish––greylings––and very tasty. In addition to the small fish Berdbai had given us there were some two-three pounders that the herders brought later in the afternoon; they come up the streams from the lake to spawn. Richard and Jagaa have gone off to the hamlet at Sirgal for gas for the vans and generator. The Mongolians gathered in the cook tent and sang old Mongolian classics, beautiful to hear in the still night from my tent where I’ve been trying to sew up my trusty Millet pack and drinking the Borgeo beer Dave gave me the other day––a gift to him from Canat who has been his friend and business partner for years while Dave has run horse treks into the Altai Mountains with American clients. Almost a full moon tonight. The swan chicks have all gone to the lake, I imagine.

Tuesday June 14thAnother gorgeous day, allowing us nearly a full day at the Turkic site, Biluut 1-2. Dave and James came along to photograph the unveiling of the mound, making the van so crammed that we almost tipped over on the steeply-sloped road leaving camp. It didn’t help having Tyler, who is six-foot-eight and must weigh 350 pounds, on the ‘down’ side of the vehicle. The morning was mostly just moving rock and cleaning fill; but we kept finding small bones, including several horse canines. I wandered off for an hour to look for materials eroding from an exposure along the north side of Biluut 1. There were many signs of buried soil horizons, some fire-cracked rock and charcoal, but no artifacts. However, in one spot I began to find quite a bit of quartzite that appears to have been broken by humans. Here I found what looks very much like a Paleolithic cleaver and later showed it to Tserendagva. This time he agreed. Seems like a workshop location, and I spotted what may be a quartzite outcrop behind the big hillside boulder adjacent to Biluut 1-2. We’ll look into this more in the next few days. However, it’s difficult to see how we could have legitimate Paleolithic finds when all this land seems to have been covered by glacial ice in the late Pleistocene.

After lunch we returned to work below the rocks, where we thought we’d find the beginning of a burial pit. The soil was very tough and gravelly, and varied from sterile to brown and ashy grey. No pit outline could be discerned. Bayaraa began to suspect the grave had been looted; but if so, they had gone to pains to restore all the boulders. We even found a large charcoal deposit under one of the rocks. Then we came upon a small iron knife of Iron Age style, but in a stray situation without other burial materials except scattered animal bones, mostly sheep or goat. Dave’s metal detector

Fig. 13: B1-2 “Paleolithic” site, view S


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gave us hope of more metal deeper in the ground, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow. (It didn’t pan out!) We quit the site a bit early when a rainstorm threatened, giving me time for a shower.

Some kind of lentil or pea soup for dinner, and Jagaa and a few others went to Sirgal for more gas to keep our generator going. The lake has been miraculously still all day, making a perfect mirror for the mountains. Bayaraa talked to some herders who came by the dig and found out that most of those who summer here winter 150km to the south. Our neighbor family living below Biluut 2 came past our site in a huge truck with all their effects, heading for their summer place across the plain NW of Biluut. So we may not see our young ‘assistant digger’ or get more fish, at least from them. They use their Biluut place for fall and spring camps, making four moves each year. Some of their people still use camels, but most have trucks or rent them. Most families still own three or four camels. One herder reported seeing a lynx in the forest on the north side of Biluut-1 where Ken saw four deer a couple evenings ago.

Dan GIS-mapped the B1-1 khirigsuur today, finding (or so we thought) that Richard’s GPS location was quite a bit in error; I hope that’s not the case for the B1/B2 valley we want to survey tomorrow with Dan. [Correction: after consultation between Dan and Richard, it turns out that Richard’s GPS was not far off the mark, after all.]

Wednesday June 15thFine weather continues and hardly a breeze stirring. After a breakfast of fried eggs, we worked at the Turkic site all morning beginning with a squirrel hunt to find the little guy who got caught out of his hole when we arrived and ran into our stone pile. The boys gradually uncovered his hideout and he grew increasingly upset, until Will offered a bit of a chocolate bar which he took with gusto.

This morning was not very productive, as the ‘burial’ bottomed out with no signs of a body or any cultural deposits, all of which were in the upper gray sod zone. We now think this is a Turkic ritual site, since two of the nearby features have vertically-set slabs. Our finds include horse canines, sheep or goat teeth and small bones, a small knife blade, and some charcoal. The weather was so warm that a few went swimming before lunch. Ken got sick last night, so everyone is on alert for continuing food problems.

After lunch the crew backfilled the site while Richard, Tsedo, Bayaraa, Jagaa and I reconnoitered the graves on the north side of Biluut 2 and picked out several for excavation, hoping for different

periods. By the time we returned, the restoration was complete and we split into Mongolian and American teams. My group took the small grave we designated ‘Biluut 2-4 West’ and the Mongolians the larger mound site above the giant horse figures, Biluut 2-1. We spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning and mapping ours, and found that the feature has an oval arrangement of flat slabs outlining a probable burial. The oval surrounds a circular feature, and the area inside the oval is filled with small cobbles/large pebbles, making for a nicely structured grave arrangement. All the while, we were blasted by a strong warm wind blowing from China through the Altai passes. We walked down to Bayaraa’s Fig. 14: B1-2 mound 3 iron knife from level 3

rocks


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site at 7 PM and found most of the juniper/cedar removed. This site has very large rocks piled into a high mound. This should be an excellent burial.

After another (good) soup supper I called Lynne and found her busy and well. Portia is having trouble with her ankles, and the doctors feel they can’t do more operations on her now. Another warm quiet night.

Thursday June 16thA fine morning but with more clouds, and by noon a brisk wind came up from the SW with rainstorms over the mountains. Fortunately, none have hit us yet. The overcrowded van broke down again after leaving camp, so I went on foot and intercepted Dan who was mapping the site (B1-3) SE of the small lake. We walked on to Biluut 2-4 where we spent the morning working down through a series of slabs until we reached a layer of grey sand about 30cm below the surface. Just below that, we struck human bone which turned out to be a small skull. Here we took a break for lunch, visiting Bayaraa’s big chunky mound site on the way. He had finished cleaning and found a piece of Bronze Age (?) pottery. Back at camp we found a couple of hikers passing through on their trek around Lake Khoton: an Italian and a Spaniard. For some reason they were not very communicative.

We were delayed getting back to work by storms and rainfall boiling over the mountains, but they passed in an hour as now seems usual––a sort of regular mid-afternoon event. We all returned to the big mound site (Bayaraa calls it ‘Biluut 2-1’) to help Dave photograph it in lieu of a torturous and time-consuming chore of mapping squares full of rocks. That done, we left Tyler and Will to help them clear the rocks while Andrew, Elissa and I continued the delicate task of uncovering the B2-4 burial in its tiny slab-lined crypt that Ken says sounds similar to Russian Andronovo burials. One problem with that idea might be the small lump of material found next to the knees of the buried body, flexed and lying on its left side, that seems to have a small piece of iron embedded in it. The excavation went slowly as the condition of the upper bones is quite poor, but is getting better with depth. Dave stayed with us and got lots of pictures of us digging. Andrew and Elissa are doing a great job with the excavation, working at very tight quarters.

Another brilliant sunset with prospects for a good day tomorrow. Luke has discovered his Swiss Army knife missing––the second article of his to go astray. More sightings of the deer on Biluut 1. As I go to bed, it sounds like another Canat supply van just arrived!

Friday June 17thThe day began well with a hot sun, but turned cloudy by mid-morning. We began removing the Biluut 2-4 skeleton feet-first and they came out pretty easily and relatively solid. We arrived at the site just as an old herder, a huge blocky man from the farm below who looked uncomfortably large on his small Mongolian horse, had left the site. He soon returned, and Jagaa had a conversation with him. By lunch we had removed all but the upper body, finding no artifacts or physical peculiarities.

Fig. 15: Elissa and Andrew at B2-4 with storms over Altai


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At B2-1 Bayaraa continued to uncover the big mound above the giant horse petroglyphs.

After lunch we returned, and by the time it started to rain we had all the bones out and marked. I found iron particles in the excavated dirt with a magnet, but they are also in the soil outside the burial, so perhaps it’s just natural hematite. Andrew and Elissa did a great job with the rest of the bones. Meanwhile, Bayaraa had got down to the burial area in his site with only one layer of rocks to go. By the end of the afternoon it was raining steadily––maybe this is Jagaa’s rainy season––2 PM to evening?

Bayaraa and Jagaa tried to catch fish today, but no luck. The Canat jeep that arrived last night brought us work tables and chairs, plus new food stocks. A good party was had on the occasion, also celebrating the full moon!

Saturday June 18thYesterday, Bayaraa said the students were getting restive, since they generally get one day a week off; so Richard and I decided to call Saturday (today) a holiday. Most people decided they wanted to go to Aral Tolgoi, a prominent hill above the northwestern end of the lake which Esther Jacobson has surveyed and recently succeeded in having declared a world heritage site. The road was quite poor and snakes along the northern shore; we passed quite a few ger camps along the way, some in situations where one might find ancient stratified living sites. We decided to come back later and check them out. We had to cross the Tsagaan (white) River, full of glacier flour, across a rickety log bridge, and then a second river draining from

the SW, a clear-water stream. The bridge over that one was precariously narrow and had many loose poles in the roadway. One of our vans nearly slipped off into the stream. Close by Aral Tolgoi on its southern extreme is a military base; at a tiny store just to the north we detoured to buy some beer and sodas. We were surprised to find that the proprietors were the same folks who used to manage the store in Sirgal, but had in the past week or so moved up here. A gathering of elders was in process outside the store, and all their horses were tied up nearby. A small wolf pup cautiously but with curiosity scurried around in the fenced yard. At the southern base of Aral Tolgoi we lunched on sandwiches and drinks. The rocks here are in pretty poor condition; this hill contains relatively few large polished panels of the kind that are so abundant at Biluut. Most of the figures are badly deteriorated, but there remain a small number of fine images. In addition to those on the major locus at the top of the southern side of the hill, on the second knob west of a small log-built guardhouse overlooking the military base I found a few new images on an outcrop.

Fig. 17: Sum Center near Aral Tolgoi

Fig. 16: B2-4 skull in situ, view E


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There are quite a few stone structures on the hill, including a khirigsuur with an unmarked ‘deer stone’ in the NW side of the mound, like the Biluut 1-1 khirigsuur we excavated. Perhaps most interesting is a series of 25 or so small stone mounds that run in a string aligned NNW-SSE across the crest of the central rock art locus. Some have been disturbed, but many appear intact. Probably they are not burials, but some kind of ritual observances (one thing we’ve noticed is very few ovoos––Buddhist stone mound shrines––in this predominantly Kazakh region, probably due to the Islamic rather that Buddhist tradition). On the plain south of Aral Tolgoi are many Turkic structures and four deer stones, one very large, one of slate that the Army may have erected from its fallen state but not understanding the iconography, installed upside down. The present north side has a necklace or belt, a large dagger, ibex, a horse, and the body (without antlers) of a Mongolian deer. A good example of a Sayan-Altai stone. I wonder what the top (now buried in the ground) looks like. A smaller deer stone with circles is near, and a third lies flat on the ground. A fourth is found to the north near the base of Aral Tolgoi hill. GPS

Coordinates: N48 39.031, E88 19.709, 2097m. This stone has many deer stone motifs, but placed and executed in atypical fashion. There are no necklace pits, circles, or face slashes. The chevron on the present north (broad) side is rendered oddly, with a broad band at the top and five chevron stripes. Above this is a house-like image with an inverted heart-shaped figure in the center. A wavy bolt-like band encircles the stone above the ‘house’, and above that is an indecipherable blob with two leg-like extensions. The south side has two ibex. No face slashes, and the chevron would normally be on the west, not north, side of the stone.

We endured a bumpy ride back to our camp, but arrived after two hours to a fine dinner of braised lamb. Earlier in the day the drivers had gone off and returned with a sheep that was tied up alongside our kitchen bleating plaintively, probably from premonition of its fate. The kitchen team must have eaten the liver and other organs, since we have not seen these delicacies. I began to experience stomach cramps in the evening and retired early.

Sunday June 19th (Fathers Day)I felt spacey and un-energized all morning––the more so because we had to backfill B1-4 and clean our next site B1-3. This was done with Will, Andrew and Elissa, and not the Mongolian students who were busy digging the deep burial pit in Bayaraa’s site. Ours was pretty boring work and was only half-finished by lunchtime. Bayaraa’s pit is now over a meter deep and has at least another 50cm to reach a slab they found in a sondage below where they are right now. Someone wanted this burial to remain undisturbed!

Soon after lunch it began to rain. It continued all afternoon, wiping out any chance of more work. I slept until 6 PM and felt mostly recovered. At dinner we learned that one of the Mongolian students, Enkh, had been suffering fever and headache since the morning––possibly from being injured

Fig. 18: N side of 3rd deer stone at Aral Tolgoi with animal figure and chevron emblem

Broad pecked groove

Ground level

GPS N48° 39.631’ E88° 19.709’, 2097m

Chevron Figure


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during the wrestling contests a couple of days ago. Bayaraa and Tsedo accompanied him in Jagaa’s jeep to a small clinic in the high terraces north of Biluut where some medical people serve the local herders. Since it is Father’s Day, Dan treated anyone who wanted to call home to a free sat-phone call, courtesy of the SI ADP office. This was greatly appreciated.

Monday June 20thIt rained most of the night but cleared a bit in the morning, so both teams got to work, except the rock art folks who need dry rock surfaces for photography and, especially, for making transparencies (tracings on clear

plastic sheeting). The high site Biluut 2-3 was cleared of vegetation by 11 AM and Dave came up from Bayaraa’s dig to photograph the rocks, which we then tossed out unceremoniously. On the way to lunch we visited Bayaraa’s B2-1 burial which he had uncovered to the top of a splendid slab-lined grave box with a thick slate cover slab. The latter was broken in two and the western end had fallen inside the coffin box; the eastern slab is still intact. Outside the stone coffin to the north were sheep or goat offerings, and inside a human had been laid out head to the north with more food offerings. The grave pit was easily identified by the loose gravelly sand, and many large rocks had been put into the grave over the west end of the coffin. A Mongolian guide with a German tourist couple showed up as we ended the morning’s work. Thunderstorms brewed again after lunch. Happily, Enkh is better today after his massage treatment at the clinic last night.

The Bridge Abutment Site: GPS 41 N48 44.259, E88 08.756, elev. 2097m. At first we thought this was a Pazyryk site alongside the Khuiten Gol, a hundred meters upstream from the lower ford crossing, but later found out it was merely an old bridge foundation. This embarrassing revelation served as the basis of innumerable jokes (mostly on Bayaraa, and on Jagaa, who had ‘discovered’ the site) for the remainder of the season!

Downstream from the pingo peat bog, south of the fenced pasture in the mouth of Peat Valley, is a square khirigsuur with three hearth circles, each with 10 stones. A heavy stone boulder fence, with corner uprights, is located south of the mouth of the bog ravine. GPS 42 N48 39.096, E88 22.057, 2124m elev.

Another khirigsuur is located alongside the peat bog stream, below the bog and above the fenced pasture, with large mound stones and small cobbles: GPS 44 48 39.289, E88 21.585, elev: 2124m.

Large khirigsuur north of the peat bog, with no fence and six hearth rings with 10 or 12 rocks each: GPS 48 N48 39.714, E88 21.366.

After lunch it rained, but let up, and the crews set out for our two sites. I went off with the rock art team to Biluut 4 (a.k.a. Spring House Bluffs) to the east of Biluut 3 and Peat Valley, where Richard

Fig. 19: B2-3 ‘zebra’ animal with hunter

Fig. 20: B2-3 child burial, view E


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had found a strange human figure with horns, no arms, two legs, and a large phallus. Richard calls the figure ‘Pogo man.’ It’s up near the summit of the hill behind a herder’s place, now vacated for the season. From that nice vantage point we spied several khirigsuurs on the valley between Biluut 3 and Biluut 4. I call this ‘Peat Valley’ because the small stream there has created a huge peat field underlain with ice and full of cracks and pingo-like features that should produce some deep stratigraphic sections for peat sampling for pollen and dating. One of the mounds (not a khirigsuur, because it lacks a squared or circular fence and satellite mounds) near a small fenced paddock has a rectangular structure attached to its west side and a circle feature to the east of the mound. We should dig it. Another site we noticed is a possible Pazyryk mound eroding into the stream [see above], and a third, at the north end of Peat Valley is a large mound with six circular hearths, but no apparent fence.

We all arrived back at camp at the same time, wet from rain, and warmed up in the kitchen/dining ger. During the afternoon, at Biluut 2-1, Bayaraa had come down on a second, deeper slab grave cover, this one not smashed or opened, or so we hope. My team had cleared down to some flat cover slabs that we also hope have not been moved.

After dinner, Tsedo gave an excellent lecture on Mongolian rock art. Among revelations were the absence of mask images at Biluut, which are quite common in South Gobi and Inner Mongolia. (NOTE: Anati wrote about South Gobi ‘Neolithic’ masks.) After that, Richard and I talked about why rock art seems to be so conservative in terms of style, at least until about 2,000 years ago, or later, and whether this results from tools, a difficult medium, religious tradition, or constant public view. I suggested he try the metal detector around large rock art complexes to hunt for broken or lost tools. Still rainy, damp and cold tonight.

Tuesday June 21stIt was bright and sunny for about an hour this morning, then black clouds rolled in from the west. We sat in the vans for an hour until it let up and then had three hours of digging, pedestaling the big slabs in the center of our mound. By lunch we were ready to photograph and remove them. Meanwhile, Bayaraa worked around the outsides of the burial box, finding some sheep or goat bones at the NE corner. The bones recovered yesterday were scattered around the outside and are probably dog. There is a large deer image (or horse?) with vertical stripes down its body, with a warrior on horseback, armed with a lance, and accompanied by dogs on the granite conglomerate outcrop above our site, Biluut 2-3. Kassim, our driver, is a very helpful and cheerful fellow, but today he almost caused our van to flip over going up the steeply inclined part of the road from camp when he took his eyes off the road for just a second to rescue his cassette tape collection which was falling off the dashboard. He got back on track just in time to avoid ramming into a boulder that would have thrown us over.

A nice rectangular stone slab box appeared in our site just under some large slabs. We were anticipating a fine undisturbed grave, but when we got into it later in the day we found it is a very shallow grave, which, except for the skull and Fig. 21: Strange horned figure B-4


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long bones, is poorly preserved. We’ll know more in the morning. Bayaraa’s dig progressed slowly. The students managed to wrestle the huge boulder out of the grave circle so it does not collapse the pit walls on the diggers below. What they found around the outside of the stone box was the bones of three sheep or goats, mostly disarticulated, suggesting a funeral feast. They still have to remove the lower stone slab to see what may lie beneath. All this material was lying uncovered in the stone coffin, just as it had been left, but without meat on the bones!

Yesterday five UNDP vehicles stopped at Bayaraa’s dig. Turns out they were park officials and checked Bayaraa’s papers. A-OK on that score. Apparently the United Nations provides Mongolia with some of its used vehicles. The purpose of their excursion was not clear––perhaps just a summer junket––but it’s certain that plans are being made for tourist development here; and the rock art is a major attraction.

Tonight we returned to find an Italian tourist group camped on the other side of our peninsula. The crew is doing well and is mostly healthy now––only the weather is not cooperating. It’s less than a week now until Ken, Theresa and Tyler leave for home. Theresa has done some sketches in ink and watercolor of the B1-1 khirigsuur we dug, and of the ‘toothless old gentleman’ from our last excavation (B2-1). Dan Cole has made considerable progress mapping the rock art and burial sites in the area, and amazingly, the vans have not been breaking down recently. They are great rain shelters at our digs.

Wednesday June 22ndMost of us had a miserable night. About 9:30 AM a black cloud bank moved in from the west, and in short time we were hunkered in out tents being pelted by lashing wind and torrential rain. Most of us felt certain our tents would carry away, but miraculously all held and only a few of the Mongol tents got wet inside. Dan’s tent skirts shook loose from two pegs and he had to venture out to fix them. The roar of the lashing rain on the fabric next to my head was so deafening I had to muffle it by ducking my head inside my bag. The storm lasted about two hours and was followed by a tamer one about 4 AM. Kudos to the manufacturer for a great waterproof fabric!

The morning arrived clear and cold, but dry, so we got lots of work done, finishing the excavation of a pre-adolescent from B2-3. His or her joints had not fused and baby teeth were just being replaced. The new molars show no wear at all. No artifacts present once again. Bayaraa found many more sheep bones outside the northeast corner of the stone coffin, totaling six mostly disarticulated. But some limbs and intact skulls were present us well. The Italian tour group that camped near us last night visited Bayaraa’s dig. They turned out to have two archaeologists and a paleontologist in the

party. They’re touring many places in Mongolia and just came from Aral Tolgoi.

During the afternoon we back-filled Biluut 2-3 and Richard, Dan and I visited the sites that Richard and Jerry Nave (with RK in 2007) and now Dan had recorded, so we could all have our data coordinated. This turned out to be very useful as it will help us clean up the master database and map. Most of the team hung out with Bayaraa who had lifted the final cornerstone from his B2-1 grave and found a man lying on his left side, flexed

Fig. 22: Rainbow on camp site.


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loosely, facing east, but with his body aligned to north, the orientation of the coffin. No dirt had entered this space, and so all his bones were in full view. Only his hand and pelvis had been badly crushed when the covering slab had broken and fallen inside the box. Some remains of fabric were found around his spine which should give us some good analyses and a date.

It was very cold all day, and windy, so the crew took a good beating. Only in the evening did a bit of warmth creep in with the sun. Ken gave a talk on Kazakhstan rock art after dinner. The Mongolian deer there lack bird heads mostly, and the Saka period rock art shows few Scythian-style figures. Jagaa noted that many Kazakh place names are Mongolian; but that does not greatly please Kazakhs today. There also was an 18th-century Mongolian invasion by the Djungarians––western Mongols from Inner Mongolia––but they were eventually defeated with the help of the Chinese.

Thursday June 23rdOnce again for an hour around breakfast we had a bright clear sky, but by 8 AM gray clouds descended and it poured here and showered in the mountains until 1 PM. We worked on notes in the ‘office ger’ while most of the crew slept or played cards. Another sheep had shown up tied to the cook’s tent this a.m. and later was dispatched, without much attention this time. It did not even interrupt the card game taking place in the cook’s tent. All the organ meat got presented to the Mongolian table at dinner; next time I’ll make a pitch for including the rest of us in these delicacies.

After lunch the US team went off to try our luck at the unusual structure we found alongside a mound in Peat Valley between B3 and B4. It’s rectangular and about 7x8 m in dimension, has walls three stones thick, a doorway, and four internal dividers making several stall-like enclosures. No artifacts yet and a small test deeper did not show any signs; but it is an intriguing architectural structure nonetheless.

We all finally got rained out about 6 PM and returned home to a great dinner of mashed potatoes, carrots, and lamb. Watermelon for desert! Vastly different from Amra’s cooking in Khovsgol! We had quite a sensation today when two deer appeared at the base of Biluut in plain sight; after some minutes they climbed over the ridge near the B1-1 khirigsuur and out of view. One was a large buck but without antlers this time of year. In the morning I gave Ken some slides for my part of our joint presentation at the Lincoln England Deer Conference. Called Lynne this evening. A-OK. Rainy and cool in VT also this summer.

After dinner we strategized a bit to see how we might find more artifacts. So far we’re doing well on burials and human remains, but a single potsherd is the only artifact recovered. We are thinking of a survey of the south shore of the lake and a concentration there next year: it gets more rain, more snow, lies longer in shadow, and has far richer pastures! Perhaps we’ll find a frozen tomb.

Friday June 24thA nice morning, and it remained pleasant through lunch. Bayaraa went off searching for a new site to dig, and we returned to our Peat Valley ‘palace’ with Dave and Tyler as reinforcements. Will and I worked all morning Fig. 23: Peat Valley Site Biluut 3-3 surface

cleared, view NW


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at the central hearth, which turned out to be full of bone and charcoal. All the bone was calcined; it seemed to be of small mammal, perhaps marmot, and maybe some birds. Probably more than a single fire as there was a lot of bone and the deposit was quite thick. Dave and James surveyed the area with the metal detector and found two lumps of sprue a few inches below the surface, one of iron and the other may be bronze. So maybe there is some casting or metal smelting going on in the vicinity. Andrew found a small Neolithic microcore on the surface of his square and a couple of flakes showed up nearby. Bayaraa’s team showed up at 11 AM and checked out our site and the valley. We had a series of

mishaps getting back across the river, stalling in the current in front of a bunch of amused herders. When the motor refused to start, we got the van out by propelling it by means of the engine crank.

We continued after lunch in unusually fine weather. We found a few more flint flakes and I finished the hearth and made a profile. Meanwhile, Bayaraa started working on the riverside ‘Pazyryk’ mound. He had nearly completed cleaning the surface when some local herders came by asking what he was doing. ‘Excavating a 2500-year-old Pazyryk burial,’ he told them. ‘Well good luck,’ they said. ‘The army built this as a bridge foundation!’ In mid-afternoon I got a holler from Richard up on top of Biluut 3––800 feet above me––wanting me to come up and see some exciting rock art and a curious hilltop stone structure he’d found. The structure turned out to be a circular ring of rocks, mostly fallen, that probably had been a hunting lookout or blind as it had a commanding view of the valley all around.

Saturday June 25thThis was a fine day for weather and digging and we finally got in two full sessions with no interruptions. Dan came along to survey, but forgot his GPS and so borrowed mine. When he arrived back at the van for the ride home he discovered he had lost the walkie-talkie Dave loaned him, so he backtracked his route––twice––while we were at lunch, to no avail. It had somehow slipped off his belt. We finished clearing the entire rectangular structure, photographed it, and excavated one of the four internal dividers which turned out to be a trough-like feature bounded by slabs of shale slanting in from both lateral sides. Several chert flakes were found in the feature’s fill, giving some evidence to the idea that the whole structure may be Neolithic or Early Bronze Age [this was later confirmed

with a radiocarbon date of cal. BC 2130 to 1900 (cal. BP 4080 to 3850). We’ll do more tomorrow.

Lots of baths and clothes washing today, thanks to the warm weather. We had a group of small white-winged songbirds about the site most of the day. Richard’s team came by at the end of the day and were quite impressed with our structure. Jagaa thinks our hearth bones are either marmot or rabbit. I walked up to the point north of our camp peninsula but had to turn back when I discovered the ‘wild’ horse herd was there. We had much discussion about the mean stallion that defends this

Fig. 25: B2-2, Pazyryk burial, view NW

Fig. 24: Biluut 3-1 Feature 4


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herd by charging anyone who approaches. Elissa, who is an accomplished rider, nearly got run down when she got too close, barely escaping by running full-tilt into camp. I did not want to have a similar encounter far from camp.

Sunday June 26thThis was a pretty nice day all around, with sunny weather until evening. Elissa, Andrew and I returned to the Peat Valley structure and spent most of the day cleaning up the excavation and testing another trough (Feature 5), but found nothing in it. During the morning, Dan and I surveyed the west Peat Valley terrace, recording ten structures, the most interesting being two rectangular tent rings overlooking the pond to the south, each with an oval grave-like feature in its north end. The large boulder pavements we saw seem like cultural features but I can’t think what they would be for. Maybe they’re natural. On the way back, on the north side of the river we stopped at a small herder’s cabin in a hollow, now vacated until fall, and found two large square khirigsuurs nearby, one with four huge hearth rings.

We returned to the Peat Valley site in the afternoon and decided to excavate another test pit (#2) north of Feature 2 trough. Several flakes, fire-cracked rock and a core preparation flake appeared. Meanwhile, Bayaraa’s group made progress removing huge numbers of stones from their Pazyryk grave (B2-2).

At dinner Luke made a surprising appearance in his skimpy wrestling outfit as a goodbye stunt for tomorrow’s departing crew. This was a big hit. Rain in the evening, when Dan gave a talk on his GIS work at the SI and a short summary of the Biluut GIS data from previous years. Monday June 27thRain showers early, but they cleared off before returning again in the evening. We now (8:30 PM) have a beautiful full arcing double rainbow. The departees ––Theresa, Tyler, and Ken––were packed and ready and left soon after breakfast. Theresa had given us a stunning gallery show of the watercolors she painted over the last three weeks. They were gorgeous and included many landscapes, a scene of our camp, ‘old Harry’ the toothless skull from Biluut 2-1, a horse skull, and our B1-1 khirigsuur. I made a photo record of most of them; some should be useful for our publications.

When I woke up I found a note of thanks from Tyler under my tent flap. It was a very appreciative note and very appreciated by me. He’s going back to do some teaching. All three made excellent contributions to the project. Ken for his knowledge of Central Asian archaeology and rock art; and Tyler for his entertaining stories and knowledge of just about everything. I called Canat this evening and found all arrived in Ulgii safely.

After the departure, Will and I returned to finish the PV TP2, backfill the site, and sample the peat bog. We found the bog has subsided more than three feet in recent years due to loss of Fig. 27: Theresa Markiw painting B2-4

individual

Fig. 26: B2-2 Pazyryk burial, photo by Dave Edwards


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underlying ice, leaving large caverns in the slumping peat where lenses of ice could be seen. We took five samples in one exposure, hoping for some useful result from its analysis, perhaps by an ETSU student. Richard was recording petroglyphs on the slopes of B3 above.

After a mutton soup (hated by Andrew) we returned to the Pazyryk site, finding a rectangular boulder-filled pit beneath its mound. This morning they found a whetstone in the upper part of the pit, which is an indication the site was looted. Andrew, Elissa, and I started clearing a small mound (Biluut 3-20; GPS N48 39.137 E88 21.642; elev. 2118m.) across the stream near the large rectangular structure Richard had us look at a couple years ago.

Now the evening crew is busy at cards. The rain stopped and the sun emerged long enough for a rainbow. It promises to be a quiet night. I finished my Peat Valley notes and Dan caught up with his survey notes. Richard found a ‘birthing woman’ image on the northern end of the eastern escarpment of B3: a female with arms and legs spread, breasts to each side, and a baby(?) emerging from her vagina. It reminded me of the Kodiak Island birthing charm excavated by Dick Jordan and my son Ben years ago. According to Esther Jacboson-Tepfer, such figures as Richard found date from the Neolithic period. Richard and Tsedo consider this a major find.

Tuesday June 28thFair weather again this morning until 12:30 when a mass of dark clouds and rain drove us back to camp. We finished B3-20 mapping and threw out the center mound rocks. Will made a nice map while the rest of us took a walk up toward the canyon. Lots of small-scale irrigation ditching has been going on here in what looks like the best pasture around Biluut because of the way the stream can be spread out in the basin. Many old ger campsites are around this area. Afterwards I had a talk with Jagaa about camels. Each family may own one or two, and related or close families pool their camels into a herd and take turns using the herd for transport. Today this is needed less because of access to trucks, so camels are kept mostly for the value of their hair, meat, and hides (it’s a bit ignominious, but one of their most important uses of the hide is for the thin strips used as fastenings to attach ger lattice slats together!). Nevertheless, the camel population is dropping and many herders no longer own any.

The sun came out after lunch and we returned to our site. After removing the pavement rocks and clearing the loose rubble we found two small rectangular slab boxes side-by-side in the middle of the ring. Both had their long axes oriented N-S and were about 50cm long and 30cm wide, the eastern box having a single cover and the western, a series of small cover slabs. Both boxes were empty and had lots of mouse bedding inside; recently these have been veritable ‘mouse houses’. Nothing else was in them except plant fiber and a few seeds or nut shells. The boxes are too small for human infants, whose bones would have been preserved, so some other ritual or organic material may have been provided originally. Another mystery! We’ll dig deeper and see whether anything else shows up. At the Pazyryk site (B2-2) Bayaraa meanwhile had come down on logs from a burial chamber that seems to have been disturbed. Tomorrow, they should find grave remains. The Fig. 28: B2-3 (Pond Site) standing slab, view

N


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afternoon remained cool. Richard’s crew keeps finding more interesting rock art on B3 above the peat bog.

Wednesday June 29thOur spell of good weather continues. Last night Canat (Conti), one of our drivers, returned from Ulgii with supplies—much appreciated as the portions of mutton in our soup and noodles/peppers/potatoes, are getting smaller. We returned to B3-20 to clean up the excavation and excavate around and under the stone boxes, finding nothing. Dan and I surveyed the western lower slopes of B3 to the Khuiten Gol (Canyon River) recording about 30 sites, some of the most interesting in a ‘pocket terrace’ SE of the gorge. There is a fall/spring herder place there under the shadow of ‘Broken Rock Mountain’, deserted for the summer like most of those log dwellings. While investigating that terrace a couple of young herder kids left their horses on the other side of the river, waded across, and came up to see what we were up to. The gorge is quite spectacular, cut deeply into rock on the west side and moraine on the east, with its sides filled with ancient larch trees and its broad bottom a vast field of water-tumbled boulders from small in size to huge. We returned to back-fill B3-20 and then were off to lunch.

In the afternoon we visited Bayaraa’s Pazyryk dig, and found them excavating a horse’s head that had been left undisturbed by looters who seemed to have displaced the tomb chamber logs. They had found an iron horse bit and small remains of a decayed, decorative wood carving from the harness. Elissa, Andrew, Dan and I then surveyed up the west bank of the river, recording about 20 sites/features including several good excavation prospects. On one of the high terraces we found a partially built modern stone barn structure with three of its four sides complete. It is being constructed almost entirely of stones taken from Turkic and khirigsuur features from this locale. In addition to several large standing stones in box enclosures, there were mounds and other features, all heavily damaged by modern cannibalization.

Since tomorrow has been declared a (project) holiday, the evening turned into a night of revelry with much singing and antics by the younger members while the rest of us tried to sleep. Earlier in the evening the shore was lined with our team’s fishermen; but only Bayaraa caught any fish––two small ones. He claimed that a ‘big one’ got away with his only hook! If not already recorded here, we’ve been wondering about reforestation since there Fig. 30: B1-3 excavation with sheep and goats look-

ing on

Fig. 29: Excavation of B2-2 Pazyryk burial with storm com-ing in. Photo by Dave Edwards


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are no young trees along the shore or river banks––only in the gorge and high north hillsides. Are sheep eating the young sprouts? Soon there will be no trees in these lowland areas, as many of the present ones are over 100 years old. Perhaps this is a process that has been going on for hundreds, or thousands, of years, leading to the formation of this part of the steppe. The problem is not a lack of seeds, because these trees are producing huge numbers of cones. But we never see any seedlings under them.

Thursday June 30thA gorgeous morning, and a very slow camp awakening from the partying last night. Most of the team wanted to spend their day off taking showers, washing clothes, and sleeping or fishing. Dan and I made a six-hour hike west along the shore to check for sites, especially shore-side settlements. We made good progress, encountered a few herders who always were friendly and curious, and recorded some sites. We checked around the inlet and the outcrops of pure white clay near the east end but found no shore-side camps. All the dark soil showing was from eroding peat deposits. The local herders we met there were off on horseback with their fishing rods fitted with modern spinning gear. We found only six sites the whole day: a circular khirigsuur, a Pazyryk mound, and a few other features. The lack of a broad pasture along the shore probably kept the population down. There are a number of small ponds and bogs. We had to walk halfway back to camp before we were picked up by one of the vans; by that time my legs were pretty nearly shot, after having walked about 12-15 miles, a record for me for many years. But at least no damage was done to my arthritic right hip and I’m fine today. Just as we were picked up, a series of thunderstorms set in. They kept up well into the night with amazing acoustics. The claps echoed back and forth from the southern mountain face and the Biluut hills. I tried calling Lynne but could not keep a connection, but I did manage to leave a birthday greeting for son Joshua on his message board in London.

Friday July 1stThis morning we were at the edge of storms to the west and clear weather to the east. The weather improved after we arrived at the Turkic site (B1-2) by the pond at the eastern base of B1. We decided to work here because the complex has a rectangular slab and cobble border, a large standing stone, and a looted burial. It should make for an interesting dig, especially if we can find some datable material and can link these features in a single complex. Bayaraa continued to excavate his horse skeleton and has uncovered a set of logs running lengthwise that might be the undisturbed top of a burial crypt.

Luke makes progress on his dobro and has been composing a ballad he calls ‘Bayaraa.’ We barely got back to work when it started raining again, but still got three hours in and nearly completed excavating the walls of our rectangular structure. No artifacts, bones, or charcoal, but good architectural detail from the slab settings. Because we are located above the pond, we got serenaded by the swans and sheldrakes that drop in periodically.

Fig. 31: Local women selling wares at Aral Tolgoi Naadam


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Bayaraa gave a talk this evening on the Xiongnu excavations he’s done with Byran Miller. I left a message for Lynne and spoke with Lauren, who says all is fine in the office. The weather in DC is cool. One of the cooks and her driver-husband have a daughter here in camp; her name is (in English translation) White Falcon. She’s six years old and quite delightful. The food continues to be spectacular. We even had fresh peaches today!

Saturday July 2ndOvercast all day with small showers off and on. We worked at the Overcast all day with small showers off and on. We worked at the Turkic pond site and finished excavating the rectangular structure. In the process we found a charcoal sample in a hearth circle that’s part of the cobble ‘wall’ on the southern side of the rectangle, as well as two other samples near each other in the structure’s center. One turned out to be a 15cm-wide concentration that started near the surface and extended down into the subsoil. I haven’t reached its bottom yet: thick concentrated charcoal powder with some chunks. (It turned out to be about 10-15cm deep.) The third was a small concentration just beneath the sod about 25-30cm to the south of the second. We have dating samples from all of them now. About a meter to the east I found a small disc-shaped object about the size of a small button with a lip or raised rim on one side and flat on the other. However, its corroded edge looks green, so it might be a coin. Coming from 10cm or so below the surface, it should belong to the slab rectangle people. It would be exciting if it could produce a date. (These samples turned out to date ca. 1600-1800 B.C.)

After lunch some park officials from UB stopped by, asking questions. Fortunately Bayaraa came by and accompanied them back to camp to inspect our permits. Dan spent the day surveying east of the Khuiten Gol mouth, mostly along the shore, recording a number of round and square spoked khirigsuurs. He was to make his own way home, but when he did not show up by 5:30 Jagaa and I went searching and found him––a bright yellow spot––hiking along the far side of the stream near the herder’s ger and below the upper Khuiten Gol ford. A 15km hike he made, and good finds, but probably went too much off-trail for a solo hike.

Shine made a nice map of the pond site. It was quite chilly and windy today. The Mongolian National Park officials who appeared at our site gave Bayaraa a tough time when he presented our papers. Since we lack a piece of paper and only have permission by word of mouth (Bayaraa’s telephone call to UB weeks ago), we were open for criticism. They insisted that this place is not ‘Biluut’ but is known by another name, so maintained that our other permits (archaeological, etc.) are invalid. They threatened to close us down and to refuse us next year, etc., and to give us a ticket. Whether these are threats for money or other purposes (local herder complaints? We don’t know of any) are not known, but it could be any number of issues. They had also been drinking. But when they met Dan Cole on the road after their testy meeting with Bayaraa, they offered him a beer and were courteous. One of the guys took the beer cap off with his teeth!

Sunday July 3rd Aral TolgoiMany of the students have wanted to wrestle in a local Naadam because we will not return to Ulgii until

Fig. 32: Luke wrestling at Naadam


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the last day of the National Festival there. So we all trekked off in two vans to Aral Tolgoi, where we heard a local festival was to take place today. Only Richard and Tsedo stayed back, and the cooks. The day was windy and cool with bouts of rain, but didn’t dampen spirits.

A large crowd had assembled at the market hut west of the army base. A wrestling arena was laid out, large cauldrons of mutton and bubbling rice soup were on the ready, and many local people with vans displayed wares to sell, spreading them out on tarps, more or less in heaps for people to pick over. Shoes for kids were a hot item. Even though she was under cover, one sophisticated woman sat under an awning beneath a chartreuse parasol. The dignitaries arrived early and took their places at the head table, including the governor of Tsengel Sum (who visited us later at our camp) and several local elders, one in a great fur-trimmed blue hat and coat and another in a peaked yellow Kazakh hat. At one point in the match, wrestlers spilled over the boundary and tumbled into them, and another time two grapplers fell into a front-row group of old women. Fortunately there were no injuries. Several of our group wrestled, and some won their first rounds. Luke was a big hit with the crowd for his unusual tactics and fierce, bearded demeanor. Bayaraa lost in the second round when he thought he had an understanding with his opponent to take a break to fix his loose belt; but when he turned away, off guard, his opponent tossed him down immediately. After which the wrestling was won by a huge six-four fellow. Besides the cauldrons of mutton and of rice soup, horshurs were for sale, along with beer and other drinks from the little store (that has some of everything!).

Wrestling was followed by the horse races, which finished at a special glade with all vehicles and horses gathered around. After something like a 14km race, the winner won by the proverbial ‘nose’. We had a great time and found the local people friendly and curious about us. Most of the men wore black western-style clothes (only a few in Mongol deels), and the women were attractive and brightly dressed. Almost all communication was in Kazakh. We were initially accosted by three army or police officials who wanted our ‘papers’ (not passports); but when they discovered that we were with Jagaa, all was fine. One young officer knew him well from childhood. Very little rowdiness or drunkenness was seen. This event was a Mongol Naadam; a Kazakh one had been held a week earlier, with their special games including a tug-of-war on horseback, in which each acrobatic rider vies to snatch free a fox pelt from the clutches of the other.

At one point I counted 35 jeeps lined up on the terrace overlooking the wrestling. There were very few vans, but lots of motorcycles, and probably 200-300 horses. A conversion is underway, but clearly motor vehicles are on the upswing. I noticed few women on horseback. All young men were on horses and carry the Kazakh crop when riding about––a badge of manhood, it seems.

Our ride home began with a look at a large burial ground with many Turkic and Pazyryk mounds all looted and robbed of top stones for

Fig. 33: B2-2 Argali sheep gold ornament from Pazyryk burial

Fig. 34: Young horse racers


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road or bridge construction. The ride home was uneventful and a great dinner of beef, potatoes, carrots, and folded Kazakh pasta was waiting. Monday July 4thA special day, and not just because of the U.S. holiday. At noon Bayaraa called his wife who was ready to give birth and found he had a second son born two days before! And from our perspective it was a banner day because he lifted the apparently undisturbed cover logs from his Pazyryk burial and found a piece of gold leaf adhering. Below, lying on a bed of small cobbles, were decayed remains of many organics including birch bark, felt (probably), and a fine (though crushed) ceramic vessel with the typical Pazyryk spiral and zig-zag punctate pricks on the neck. There were many pieces of unidentifiable gold leaf and––most special––two silver-dollar-sized argali sheep heads, also typical of Pazyryk decoration. The log crypt was decayed but intact. Unfortunately, it can’t be dendro-dated as it is too far gone (there was no frost in the grave) and all other wood was mush. Strangely, no human bones were present––very unusual for a Pazyryk grave. The grave itself was aligned E-W. The single, entire horse was laid out along the north side of the tomb, facing east. Bayaraa had sent Tugsoo to tell us that gold had appeared, and we thoroughly enjoyed the scene of discovery. Dave Edwards covered it all with photography. Now we need to keep this news of gold from the herders, or we will return next summer to find the other graves looted.

At the pond site we began working on the grave (?) and standing stone, hoping we can make some useful finds. The wind was raging from the SW, making dirt fly everywhere. Pretty uncomfortable work, but at least no rain––at least not until evening, when sleet fell and it suddenly grew cold again. Some July 4th!

After dinner we had a visit from the Governor of Tsengel sum who had seen us yesterday when he presided over the Naadam. He seemed quite interested in our work. He is also concerned about site preservation and the need to educate the herders about preservation. We offered to prepare some posters and to do a museum or school display. For his part, he said he would appoint a local warden for this area. Hard frost tonight? Sleet and snow even here at lake level, and in the morning our tents were frozen and new snow cover lay far down the mountainsides.

Tuesday July 5thFrosty morning. My tent was coated with ice much of the night and couldn’t flap in the wind. By morning the wind had died completely and the bright sun was stunning. No clouds all morning, either. At the pond site we continued the elusive search for a burial in the large stone pile, to no avail. I finished

Fig. 36: Tsengel governor’s party with dig team

Fig. 35: B2-5 Stone Man site, F1, view NW


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collecting burned bone and charcoal from the central pit, which reached 30cm deep. All tiny calcined bones, mostly of bird, I think. Many of the slabs on the surface around the site seem to have been broken from their settings in the southwest wall when a cobble line was built.

Last night, the Governor mentioned that some locals had told him that two large black helicopters (shades of the Osama bin-Laden raid?) had landed at our camp in the wee hours and took things away! And that we were digging up skeletons with big heads! Amazing how rumors fly!

Lunchtime today was the first time warm enough for people to shower and wash clothes in many days. Will was planning to jump into the lake. Did he? Yes, and found it cold but exhilarating. Archaeologically, the afternoon was not very productive. Bayaraa thinks his Pazyryk skeleton was looted and carried off by being placed above the bottom logs he found undisturbed, and that the grave goods had been hidden below it, not with the body. The upper part of the grave was definitely disturbed. So, if this was the intent, it may have worked. Our pond site did not give up any more secrets. We found nothing in the ‘grave’ stone feature or around the standing slab. So, toward the end of the day we checked out the four-enclosure Turkic Stone Man site north of Biluut 2 and will dig one of these next.

The entire day was great weather, and we had a pink sunset and new moon in the evening. Richard gave a good lecture overview of the project and the drivers went for gas. We heard today that the park director will provide our permit and back us up, if the officials of the other day cause any trouble. We have only five or six working days left. Lots of snow remains on the mountains from last night’s fall. A few fish were caught, but not enough for a general meal. I had a young attendant for my shaving today: the young daughter of our cook and driver. Intensely curious, she studied my every move, then, just at the right moment, handed me my towel!

Wednesday July 6thGood weather all day today. We spent the morning backfilling the pond site and working on Shine’s excellent map. We finished at noon, had lunch and went off to start work at the Stone Man Site (B2-5) out on the plain north of B2. We chose Mound #1, the southernmost, the only one with a face––though small and incised, not sculpted, on its east-facing side. There are four stone man units here, but the other three are just standing slabs or are broken off, like #4, the northern one. The enclosure #1 had been destroyed by looters, but we chose it anyway, hoping to find some means to date it. Our hopes were high when Andrew immediately found a piece of thick ceramic in the turf; but that was the last artifact we found. The vertical slabs that formed the square enclosure were all torn up and scattered about, barely allowing us to determine its original form. We were pleased, however, to find quite a bit of charcoal beneath the rocks and slabs, and a few pieces of bone, including a cow or yak tooth. We presume these will date the construction rather than its destruction. The date turned out to be cal. AD 540 to 640 (cal. BP 1410 to 1310). It was not clear whether the other three units had also been trashed. But since these supposedly Turkic features are known not to be burials or have artifact deposits, yet have almost always been found trashed, it makes a good argument for the desecration

Fig. 37: Excavating Pazyryk grave feature


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hypothesis: breaking a clan’s leadership or claims to land via ancestral rights legitimized by ritual sites.

At lunchtime a jeep full of friends of Dave Edwards from Flagstaff appeared, creating a flurry of greetings. One was his personal doctor who had teamed up with a kayaker and river guide who were scouting river trips to offer clients from home. They had two kayaks, and after running several rivers in Bayan Ulgii were off to check out the waterways west of Aral Tolgoi.

Thursday July 7thJagaa left for Ulgii this morning. He’ll be competing in the archery competition there. Another fine day. We returned to the standing man, and Shine undertook to map the entire site including the three unexcavated portions, doing her usual fine job. Yesterday she and Will dug some test pits east of the constructions in an attempt to see whether other activities might be occurring off-site as we found in the case of deer stones. But they found nothing. They also counted and mapped the standing bal-bal stones that had been erected in long lines east of the four enclosures. While this was going on Elissa, Andrew, and I tested the center area of a hillside mound/pavement (Biluut-2-6) that Dan Cole had found, and ended up spending a day on this project. It had been looted, and some huge rocks including a granite capstone were askew in the central arena. We found some large slabs that had served as retainers, but otherwise the pit was filled with jumbled rocks and slabs tossed in by the looters. Occasional small pieces of bone and quite a lot of charcoal [a dating sample produced cal. BC 1890 to 1740 (cal. BP 3840 to 3690)]. We found a marmot skeleton 75cm below the surface, but no culturally modified material. No human bones turned up. We finally had to quit when we found charcoal in what seemed like sterile gravel in the east side of the pit, and because we did not have enough time or manpower to extend the pit to the east. Who would want to be buried here, or memorialized here on the side of a hill, unless, like the old Nain shamans in Labrador, they wanted to keep an eye on their friends or enemies. This site makes a good argument for view-shed siting of graves.

On the way home we met Dave’s kayaking friends returning from the Aral Tolgoi rivers. They were in a rush and could not stop for the night as planned; we could all see the huge storm brewing up black in the west that pushed them on. After supper the storm hit. But it must have mostly grazed us, for after an hour of wind and rain the sky cleared to a rosy sunset. I called Lynne and found her ready for her Prouty charity bicycle ride on Friday. After months of difficult training she’ll be glad to have it behind her, saddle sores and all.

Friday July 8thBayaraa had started work on a site up in the Khuiten Gol gorge where Dan and I had surveyed a mound we hoped would be early Bronze Age. We finished backfilling the Hillside Site and in the afternoon I worked on notes. Bayaraa stayed back also, working on a summary report to the governor on our activities. Called Lauren in the evening and found her well, though a bit lonely in an empty office with Igor and Stephen away at meetings. She has got the Women’s Council grant

Fig. 38: Re-excavating looter’s pit at B2-6, view W


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for Inuit Studies Conference submitted and is working on Quebec plans. No special news. Saturday July 9thDan, Elissa, Andrew, and I went to check on sites Dan found while surveying. At the Khuiten Gol delta we re-visited a mound/pavement I had seen in 2009 and found a potsherd and a biface midsection of quartzite. Perhaps this is an early feature––something for next year? Along the ‘East Bay Shore’ we mapped several khirigsuurs and found a nice deer stone of granite, with brow band, circles with pendants, dagger, quiver, a bow, an axe, and a ‘face’ of three slashes. Better yet, it had two hearth circles which produced C-14 and burial bone: cal. BC 1050 to 910 (cal. BP 3000 to 2860). The DS was lying on the NE edge of the mound, and the khirigsuur had four radial spokes and hearths. In the ‘East Bay Plain’ on the isthmus further east, we examined a large square khirigsuur with spokes to its corners and lots of hearths, from one of which we later got a C-14 sample. It dated to cal. BC 970 to 960 (cal. BP 2920 to 2900), and cal. BC 940 to 820 (cal. BP 2890 to 2770). I thought we also had a horse burial in one mound, but this did not appear upon excavation.

Several tourist groups passed and one stopped for a swim at the gorgeous sweeping beach section I call ‘East Bay,’ or ‘Khoton Waikiki.’ A group of horse trekkers with two camels passed westward. A fierce wind blew up in the evening just as we dug up and recorded the deer stone, but most of the rain stayed on the other side of the lake. Bayaraa’s group returned with news of “no burial” for his new mound. A van and driver appeared from Blue Wolf with our final food re-supply and to help drive us home to Olgii in a couple of days. These past two evenings the Mongolian students, especially, have been starting to exhibit the ‘end of project’ psychology, with late-night poker games, clothes and body washing, and anticipation of their coming project with a German dig. They’ve been a great and hard-working bunch. Fishing for grayling has become their favorite pastime, using live grasshoppers as lures. Luke and Will have been the team’s cross-overs, learning more Mongolian and partying or playing together (soccer, American football, and cards) more than anyone else. The vodka hit the group the other night and many were spacey the following day––especially James, who could barely lift a trowel!

Sunday July 10thThis morning we went back to East Bay to draw the deer stone, check some of Dan’s hillside sites, and look for a horse head burial. The latter was a bust; but we erected the deer stone and saw some strange stone structures in the higher, hidden canyons and hollows created by glacial ice and outwash. The East Bay herder dwelling had two new log cabins hidden up behind the main house, which was seasonally abandoned now. Big stones, rectangular and U-shaped structures that can’t be dwellings but might relate to herding and pasturing. There’s even more: Dan had found, a complex set of boulder lines and enclosures that we did not have time to inspect. (We passed a similar complex on the east side of the road after leaving Khoton and Khurgan Lakes en route back to Tsengel on our way out). For this work we need an ecological anthropologist to work with the

Fig. 39: Biluut team at East Bay 3 deer stone, view NW


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herders on clarifying such issues. Unfortunately, the herders mostly leave our area of Khoton Lake for moister areas to the west and north for the summer, retiring here during the fall and spring.

Everyone turned out this afternoon and started packing up the finds and archaeological gear. The latter we hope to store at Canat’s, where Dave keeps his horse-trekking dear. Richard was totaling up the project expenses and discovered that we’re about $2K over budget. Perhaps we can find that sum in some other areas, like by saving on storage. The guys did well

fishing, catching almost 40 today. Bayaraa was the champ with around 30. After dinner Dan and I climbed to the summit of Biluut 1 and took in the spectacular 360-degree view. Petroglyphs are found all the way to the top, including some modern images (a quite nice fox, for example). At the highest point a high-walled windbreak has been erected on top of an old mound or ovoo. Close by are two very old slab mounds. We waited all day for the ranger who was supposed to ‘inspect us,’ but he never showed. We’re mostly concerned about the park director’s injunction not to make any ‘new roads,’ which we have, in fact, done at almost every archeological site we’ve worked here. We’ve done our best to minimize, and to repair, our environmental impact. But, of course, a certain amount is unavoidable. What they need to do is to get tough on the locals who are poaching timber and game from the forest––not to mention the damage they are inflicting by overgrazing. Recently a big meeting with government representatives was held in UB; archaeologists, both Mongolian and foreign, gave the officials hell for over-policing archaeological projects while letting looters operate with impunity.

Monday July 11thThe weather is still holding. We left camp after breakfast to look around the country on the south side of the lake, beyond the army base at Sirgal. Two vans and no lunches. Richard had been over here back in 2004 and remembered seeing lots of Turkic sites. We didn’t have far to go before spotting a man-stone, this one of granite and with its head broken off. During the next two hours we visited many Turkic sites in the low-lying peninsula between Khoton and Kurgan Lakes: man stones, slab enclosures with long bal-bal lines and numerous mounds, mostly looted (see the list below). Bayaraa says that little is known about the archaeology of the Turkic period, because most of these monuments contain no artifacts and few burial mounds have been located. Most of the archaeology may be limited to their urban sites. Richard located a single small khirigsuur in a fold of the low ridges.

Brief surveys on the southern, far side of Khoton Lake beyond the Army base noted the following sites and features:

a looted Pazyryk or Turkic mound; 2x3 Turkic boxes; a 2x3 Turkic box with bal-bals; three enclosures, with two headstones and bal-bals aligned at 095 degrees; another single enclosure to the south with bal-bals aligned 095 degrees; a tall (2+ meters) green man-stone with granite boulder circle features to its east;

Fig. 40: East Bay 3 view S


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two Turkic squares 75m to the south of the ‘green man’; a looted Pazyryk mound with granite bal-bals aligned 095 degrees; three looted graves with 75m boulder lines aligned 280 degrees extending from a central mound; three looted Pazyryk mounds with four bal-bals; a single, small circular khirigsuur in a fold of the nearby low hills.

We had to ford some glacial streams running down from the Altai Nuruu; all were a bit tricky to negotiate, and one, in particular, easily proved to be the most difficult of the summer. Part of our plan was to find the park official who had to stamp our permit, and Bayaraa had heard that he would be attending a wedding in this area. Groups of horses and jeeps were converging on a location up in the tree-covered slopes, and after some false starts we located the wedding. It appeared to be a big affair; several hundred people were gathered in a clearing at the edge of the forest. We were immediately ushered into the ornate wedding ger, which was decorated beautifully with colorful Kazakh wall hangings, tuffs of dyed wool, and treasures of all kinds, including old family photos. Our host was a biology teacher from Tsengel’s school, a charming, attractive woman and gracious host. We were welcomed like royalty and treated to bowls of milk tea, cheeses, biscuits, and sweets. Sounds of the wedding service quickly lured us outside where a final wrestling match had just ended and the wedding party was arranging itself before an elder. The young couple looking exceedingly uncomfortable––the bride in a fancy frilly white gown and the groom in an ill-fitting gray suit, white shirt and tie, with too-long trouser bottoms draped over his shoes. With the bridesmaid and best man they had to remain standing in the middle of a large fenced enclosure throughout many long speeches, interspersed with scratchy streaks of recorded music, and a hot sun. There were oaths, a ring exchange, and even an awkward bride and groom waltz. All in all, it seemed a strangely westernized ceremony and quite unlike the Mongol version. Airag was served to the guests, seated or standing around in a circle.

Since this was a Naadam day also, there was wrestling and horse racing, and vendors spread out their wares. The whole array was outstanding. The herders to a person were curious and wonderfully accepting of the party crashers. No one minded our constant photo-taking. Before leaving, as gifts were presented, Richard and I presented the newlyweds with a gift of 25,000 tugriks (about $20) and offered much-applauded speeches of congratulations on the MC’s microphone. In the meantime, Bayaraa had managed to locate the park official and so we at long last obtained the required approval and signature.

On the way back to camp, Kassim tried to score points on Canat in the other van by trying to beat him home with a reckless, high-octane cut-off where the track diverged for a short space in the lakeside dunes. We bounced off the rutted verge and very nearly flipped over! Kassim casually waved off our protests and beat Canat to the spot where the tracks merged. At camp we devoured our late lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon washing clothes, taking showers, and relaxing. I began an inventory of finds. In the evening Dan and I retraced our steps to the summit of Biluut 1, inspecting again the two ancient slab structures and the tall, recently-built wind break. Stunning views all around.

Fig. 41: Nadaam Wedding


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Tuesday July 12thKhoton to UlgiiWe were up early to pack, and quickly took apart the camp. Will and Luke volunteered to share the delicate task of filling the garbage pits and privy under Dave’s supervision, and with a liberal dose of coal ashes saved from our cooking stove. A team from Canat’s Sagsai ger camp took apart and hauled off the gers while, led by Richard’s example, small groups of us picked up every bit of trash.

On the way out, Bayaraa took a detour to photograph the grave I had dug at B2-4. There

was an urgent push to get to Ulgii in time to watch the end of the televised national Naadam in UB. The first part of the trip was fairly uneventful and free of mechanical trouble, and we found the condition of the road much improved, with many rocks removed and potholes newly filled with crushed rock in the Hovd River section. We were obligated to stop in Tsengel to have the sum governor we had met earlier sign off on our permit. To our chagrin, he was in the middle of a Naadam holiday party, and couldn’t be disturbed; but after an hour of idle waiting, Bayaraa persisted successfully to get his attention.

The final leg to Ulgii was hot and hard on the vehicles. We had to stop frequently on the big uphill grades to let the engines cool down. The cook’s daughter, ‘White Falcon’ (“Hello, how are you? I’m fine”) a delightful little creature of five or six years and a sharp, lightning-quick learner, spent most of the last hours in the van plugged into James’ iPod. She seemed to enjoy the catchy top (American) tunes of the past 30 years! Ten hours after leaving camp at Khoton Lake, corresponding

to about six and a-half hours of driving time, we finally arrived at Canat’s Blue Wolf headquarters. Swiftly unloading our gear into tidy gers, we jockeyed to get into hot showers. After a splendid four-course dinner, with cold beer, fruit juices, Cokes or Sprites, and second helpings, we collapsed into real beds for the first time in six weeks. No one was counting sheep! In the meantime, the Mongolians, desperate to catch the national wrestling final, found a hotel bar where they watched live the final bout. To everyone’s surprise, and with general approval, two new, young wrestlers rose to the top of the competition and a new champion was crowned. The dog howls were mercifully moderate this night, and best of all, Canat had in our absence installed wi-fi in the gers. I happily announced my re-introduction into cyber-world.

Wednesday July 13thOur last day in Ulgii was for clean-up and packing. Our UB freight van departed after breakfast, transporting specimens and gear and carrying Tugsoo and the three Mongolian students as passengers. Richard paid everyone and squared up with Canat,

Fig. 42: Hospitality in host’s ger at Naadam wedding

Fig. 43: White Falcon, the cook’s daughter


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with everyone happy on all sides. We are really lucky to have Canat as our logistics partner. Likewise Bayaraa and Jagaa, who were not only crucial scientific partners but bird-dogged the many permit issues that came up and which we will need to settle earlier next year. Dave Edwards, an old friend of Canat’s, gave him an earful about conservation issues and abuses in the National Park. Such problems have been fairly intractable because of collusion of unscrupulous officials with the herders, involving such things as permits-for-votes and kickbacks from illegal logging, etc. The Ulgii Museum was closed because the Naadam holiday had been extended for the entire week; but our students were able to find handsome gifts (knives, Kazakh embroideries, and such) in the outdoor bazaar for those back home. I stored Paula’s and our new generator in Canat’s basement with Dave Edward’s cache and some of Richard’s gear. In the evening we toasted the success of the project with cold beers. Beneath a nearly full moon, the pulsing psychedelic lights of the Ulgii radio tower danced up and down as we closed the doors on our gers.

Thursday July 14thUlgii to UlaanbaatarDave Edwards roused us at 6:45 AM with an urgent injunction to be ready to leave for the airport in eight minutes! This was all-too-reminiscent of Richard’s, Bayaraa’s, and my precipitous departure from Ulgii in 2009. The plane’s departure was still set for 10:45 AM, but it turned out that Mongolian president Elbegdorj was arriving on the in-coming flight and we needed to be through security early. The military put on a grand show on the tarmac, complete with a small band and honor guard, which we watched through the departure lounge windows. Also on hand was Mongolian photographer, Octabri, who supplied many photos for the Genghis Khan exhibit, which is now open at the National Museum. From him we learned that Don Lessem and his family had traveled to Hovsgol and not Bayan Ulgii, as originally planned. Friday July 15thUlaanbaatarLunched with Ed Nef and Orgilma, and Oyunaa Bileg visited me at Zaya’s Hostel. While in UB, Richard and I also had a lunch meeting with Ambassador Addleton and two of his staff to talk about the possibility of bringing a Mongolia contingent to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2013. And finally, after many years, I was able to meet Jack Weatherford, who was so helpful when we were preparing our Genghis Khan catalog. Jack and his wife have a beautiful apartment at the top of a fancy high-rise a block from the State Department Store where they live for the summer months, receiving enthusiasts and visiting firemen like me. We spoke about his new passion for old Mongolian maps which he has been purchasing and donating to Mongolia. This collection may soon be housed in a new map library in UB. We also spoke of the perennial quest for Genghis Khan’s grave, a search that has been in the news this summer due to a controversial National Geographic ‘citizen scientist’ promotion involving scrutiny of Google Earth images, a project directed by Dr. Albert Yu-Min Lin of San Diego State University.

Fig. 44: Packing up camp and taking down gers


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PART III

Archaeological Summary, Field Notes and Maps

William W. Fitzhugh(transcribed by Maegan Tracy)

Sites Studied:

1. Biluut 1-1 Radial Khirigsuur2. Biluut 1-2 Turkic Ritual Site 3. Biluut 1-3 Pond Site 4. Biluut 1-4 Cleaver Site 5. Biluut 2-1 Old Gummer Stone Coffin Site 6. Biluut 2-2 Missing Warrior Pazyryk Burial Site7. Biluut 2-3 Child Burial Site 8. Biluut 2-4 Flexed Burial 9. Biluut 2-5 Stone Man Site 10. Biluut 2-6 Looted Hillside Site 11. Biluut 3-1 Stone Boxes Site 12. Biluut 3-2 Empty Grave Site13. Biluut 3-3 Peat Valley Site14. East Bay 1 Khirigsuur15. East Bay 3 Deer Stone Khirigsuur

Study AreaThe archaeology of westernmost Mongolia near Mongolia’s intersection with Russia (Gorny Altai), Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang China is relatively unknown. To date, research in this region of the Altai Mountains has focused largely on rock art, which is well-preserved on rock surfaces scoured and polished by advancing and retreating glaciers during the Late Pleistocene. The final retreat of glacial ice from the Khoton Lake trough probably occurred about 10,000 years ago. After this, sediment cores from Khoton Nuur indicate that the valley’s vegetation consisted largely of forest cover, under relatively warm and dry conditions, until about 5,000 years ago. Beginning at that time, drier and cooler conditions prevailed and the landscape took on a mountain-steppe character similar to that of the present day, with open grasslands with pockets of forest and shrub (Russian reference).

The few excavations that have been conducted in this area have been directed at its Pazyryk burials, some of which in higher elevations have remained frozen since interment and thus contain a wealth of well-preserved organic remains and other archaeological treasures rarely found in other types of sites in Mongolia. Lying in a trough near the northern edge of the Altai Nuruu, the Khoton Nuur region contains a series of freshwater lakes whose waters are fed throughout the summer by snowmelt, glaciers, and springs. During the summer the region receives copious rainfall, making it a highly desirable area for forest animals and steppe grazers, and following the inception of animal domestication ca. 5,000 years ago, for animal husbandry. The purpose of the Khoton Lake archaeological project is to explore the culture history of Khoton Nuur and its neighboring


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Fig. 45: 2011 overview of project sites.

environment, to record the rich rock art of the Biluut hills on the northern shore of Khoton Lake, and to attempt to link the area’s long history of human occupation with the rich record of rock art.

The Mongolian and American archaeology team conducted excavations at 15 sites and surveyed most of the environs of the three Biluut hills within a 10 kilometer range of our base camp. Following are preliminary findings and observations from our 2011 fieldwork.

Surveys and Settlement PatternsIn addition to excavations, extensive GPS-based foot surveys of the entire Biluut region were undertaken. Several hundred khirigsuurs, burial mounds, and other types of ritual sites were identified, mapped, and described. In addition, we mapped and described many recently-occupied ethnographic camps and conducted interviews with herders to determine land-use patterns, seasonal nomadic movements, and environmental features that could inform our archaeological and rock art studies.

SummaryThe archaeological aspect of the Biluut 2011 Project produced a large trove of data from a variety of settlement, ritual, and mortuary sites dating from Paleolithic to modern times. More than a dozen sites were excavated––most dating to Early Bronze through Iron Age and Turkic periods (ca. 3000-1000 BCE). Charcoal and animal bone dating samples and human remains were obtained from most

East Bay - 3

East Bay - 1

Clargal Center

2011 Project Sites

Aral Tolgoi

N


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Biluut - 2

Biluut - 3Biluut - 1

Base Camp

Biluut - 2-5

Biluut - 2-6

Biluut - 2-4

Biluut - 2-3

Biluut - 2-1Biluut - 3-1 Biluut - 3-3

Biluut - 1-3

Biluut - 1-2

Biluut - 1-1

Biluut - 3-2N

of these excavations. Mapping data will provide broad environmental context for archaeological excavations and rock art documentation. Although artifact recoveries were minimal (Khoton Lake-area mortuary ritual seems to have been accompanied by scant material culture manifestation), the extensive evidence of mortuary, ritual, and settlement sites from the Biluut region provides important archaeological context for the huge corpus of rock art in the surrounding hills. Radiocarbon dating of 2011 finds and a second season of excavation and surveys will undoubtedly provide equally rich returns.

Site Descriptions (On following pages).

Fig. 46: 2011 project sites.


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Biluut 1-1 Radial Khirigsuur (GPS N48° 39.078’ E88° 19.087’ 2188m elevation) This Late Bronze Age khirigsuur (burial mound) is located on a terrace halfway up the south slope of Biluut 1, at N48° 39.078’, E88° 19.087’, 2188m elevation. The khirigsuur has a 40cm high, 7m diameter central mound and is surrounded by a 13.1m diameter fence of small boulders. A small Eurasian-style deer stone with three slashes on its ‘face’ stands near the northwest edge of the central mound, 350° from mound center. The deer stone is 50cm high, 33.5cm wide, 27cm thick, and was found leaning south. The khirigsuur has four radials located at 040/220° and 140/320°. We found skin or bark near the SE radial intersection with the edge of the center mound and charcoal just north of this radial’s intersection with the mound. Outside the fence on the northwest side are two small circular stone hearth rings (SHR-1 and 2). Excavation of these ritual hearths rings produced calcined sheep and/or goat remains, and charcoal from SHR-1 produced a radiocarbon age of cal. 3130 to 2850 BP (Beta-306033). The mound contained a single poorly-preserved human burial, probably male, without artifacts, in a shallow depression in the center of the mound. Ashes and charcoal around the edges of the central mound indicated that the earth beneath the mound had been excavated 40-50cm deep and ritually prepared by fire before the interment was made.Finds: 1. Hammerstone: 5.33S 4.40E, 2. First ash deposit (not collected) 4.19N 5.55E, 3. Skin/bark under slab in E radial 4.73N 4.83W, 4. Charcoal from ash deposit in outer mound at 6.03N 4.05W.

Fig. 47: B1-1 Feature 1 hearth, view N Fig. 48: B1-1 Feature 2 hearth, view S

Fig. 49: Biluut 1-1 khirigsuur, view SW


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Biluut 1-1June 8th 2011

Feature 2N 48° 39.078E 88° 19.089

-1 +4+2

+5

+2

-4

-3

-1

+1

-2

-24

-22

-19

-23-17

-19-14

-18-10 -9

-18-6-12

-3-9 -5

0

-16-13

-19-15

-14 -23

-19-22 -21

-13 -7-15 -17

-10-11-6

-9-2

-10

-9

-6 0

-1

-4

N0 50cm 1m

Feature 1

Round RockFlat SlabFCRCharcoal and Burned BoneBurned Bone Fragments

0

1

0.5

1.5

0 50cm 1m

Outside measurements taken at ground level; inside measurements taken at base of excavation.

DATUM

DATUM

Fig. 50: Biluut 1-1 feature 2 map.


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Fig. 51: Biluut 1-1 skeletal remains, view WFig. 52: Biluut 1-1 khirigsuur, deer stone with three-slash face, (after removal from mound for photo-graph)


N48° 39.078E88° 19.087

2188m

N0 1m50

Deer stone

Radials located at 040/220° and 140/320°

Fig. 53: Biluut 1-1 distribution


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Biluut 1-2 Turkic Mounds(GPS N48° 39.329’, E88° 19.493’, 2093m elevation). In the valley northeast of Biluut 1 five circular boulder pavements are found aligned north-south. We cleared and excavated the center-most pavement, Feature 3, finding numerous animal bone fragments, including horse canines, and a single iron-tanged knife. Charcoal and animal bones were found from the surface to the bottom of the stone fill in the center of the mound, about 60 cm deep. At first we believed this and its adjacent mounds might be a set of Pazyryk burial structures. However, in the absence of other artifacts or any indication of human remains or interment, we interpret this and the adjacent features as a probable Turkic ritual site without a burial. A radiocarbon age of cal. 1350-1290 B.P. came from a horse tooth.

Fig. 54: Biluut 1-2 mound 3, view SE

Fig. 55: Biluut 1-2 charcoal sample location Fig. 56: Biluut 1-2 mound 3 surface rocks cleaned


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Flat Slab

0 50cm 1m

NDATUM 01

1

2

2

3456

3

4

5

6

Biluut 1-2June 13th 2011, Surface Map

N 48° 39.330, E 88° 19.501Elevation: 2090m

Fig. 57: Biluut 1-2 mound 3 map


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12

7 518

1517

27 2114

8 25301912 28 31 6

2224 2313

929

20

410 11

3

Biluut 1-2June 13th 2011, Finds MapN 48° 39.330, E 88° 19.501

Elevation: 2090m1

0

2

3

4

5

Finds:1-7 found above rock pavement in grey ashy soil1. Bone fragments, 3cm bd2. Horse tooth fragment, 3cm bd3. Small mammal scapula/limb bones4. Large joint bone5. Small bone fragment6. Small burned bones (n=4)7. Small epiphysis bone8-21 found below first rock layer8. Sheep/Goat jaw bone fragment9. Bone fragment10. Horse tooth11. Joint frag. 11cm bd12. Fragment of horse tooth13. Small epiphysis bone14. Mammal foot bone

15. Small bone frag.16. Iron belt buckle17. Bone fragment18. Charcoal from underneath large rock, 27cm bd19. Horse(?) cranium frag. 27cm bd20. Vertebra fragment, 24cm bd21. Horse tooth, 22cm bd21-31 found below 2nd rock layer in tan gravel/sand22. Horse incisor, 20cm bd23. Bone fragment, 20cm bd24. Horse canine, 22cm bd25. Horse canine, 32 cm bd26. Bone fragments, 30cm bd

0 50cm 1m

1

N

2345

A

A

B

B

34 2 1 056

June 15th 2011, Profile

West Profile at 1.5m W

Sterile LoessCultural LevelRocks

Excavation

0

1

27. Sheep/Goat teeth, 29cm bd28. Charcoal sample, beneath northern slab, 43cm bd29. Bone frag. 27cm bd30. Bone fragments (n=5), 28cm bd31. Iron knife blade, from brown stained soil w/charcoal flecks, 36cm bd

Misc. Bone fragments collected from SE backfill pit. Below thin level was grey gravelly sand in West side of feature and tan-brown sandy silt in East half, all sterile. No evidence of human burial. Possible ritual site involving sheep/ goats, horse canines, and a knife; perhaps used in a sacrifice ritual and attributable to Turkic.

West Profile

DATUM

Fig. 58: Profile and map.


44

Biluut 1-3 Pond SiteThis is one of the more prominent sites in the Biluut area, and is the only one with a standing stone in a square enclosure of slabs to be found with a grave and a large rectangular structure. The standing stone is of metagreywacke and in pretty sound condition. The stone is unusual in having a number of iron inclusions in it’s broad SE/NW faces. [Later we found other slabs with similar iron inclusions]. The grave looks like it’s been looted and has many large rocks on the surface that were probably originally underground. It may have been disturbed both recently and in antiquity. The rectangular feature is prominent on the surface, outlined by a series of small standing stones and slabs on the NW, NE, and SW sides. It is outlined on the SW (long) side by a neat alignment of rounded cobbles. There are a few internal slab features as well and the cobble line has a 60cm cluster of cobbles at it’s NW end, and a circular hearth enclosure near its SE end. There were no obvious internal features visible on the surface. Upon excavation we found that this structure has two chronological components; the first being the slab rectangle, and a later phase when the cobble feature was superimposed on it, overlaying and crushing some of the slabs. We collected 3 charcoal samples on July 2nd. Sample #1, from the SE corner of a round arrangement of small cobbles about 70-80cm in diameter. The rock adjacent to this sample was blackened and spalled by heat and this helps to assign this sample to the later cobble construction. Sample #2 appeared 5cm below the surface as a black stain in the tan soil, with a few small fist-sized cobbles scattered below 10cm. The charcoal-stained soil with some small chunks continued down in a vertical cylinder about 10-15cm in diameter and became more concentrated at greater depth. Why this charcoal is found this way is difficult to

Fig. 59: Biluut 1-3, Pond Site, view NW


45

understand; it is as though a small hole was packed with pure charcoal. The rest of it is powdery and without much wood structure. We have a small bag of charcoal chunks and more as a soil sample. Sample #3 lay close to the surface appearing similar to Sample #2 at first, but it only consisted of a small amount. Both the samples seem to belong to the rectangular structure rather than the later cobble line, in part because Samples #2 and #3 are nearly precisely in the center of the structure and are not associated with the cobble line. About one meter to the SE of Samples #2 and #3 I found a small metal disc that may be a coin, which looks like a button with no holes. It is quite light, but has a coppery corrosion appearance on its edge. It was found about 5-8cm from the surface, below the turf in tan sandy soil; the only artifact found in this site. The charcoal sample gathered from Feature 1 produced radiocarbon dates of cal. 3820-3800 B.P. and cal. 3730-3620 B.P.

Fig. 60: B1-3 ‘grave’ feature, view NW Fig. 61: B1-3 cobble hearth (Feature 1) view N

Fig. 62: B1-3 standing stone with rocks cleaned, view N Fig. 63: B1-3 Feature 2, charcoal sample #2, profile view


46

x

Cobble/Round RockFlat RockStanding StoneInclined SlabCharcoal Sample

N

Feature 2

0 50cm 1m

Biluut 1-3July 1st 2011

Pond SiteSurface Map

Fallen Vertical Slab

Feature 1

Feature 3

Metal disc/coin

0

123456

789

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

DATUM

10

Fig. 64: B1-3 Pond site.


47

Biluut 1-4 ‘Cleaver’ SiteOn the hillside adjacent to Biluut 1-2 we found large amounts of broken quartzite adjacent to a geological outcrop of quartzite. Most of the flakes and chunks of quartzite were natural weathering products, but some had been worked into scrapers and in one case, into a cleaver-like Early Paleolithic implement. Given the presence of Late Paleolithic artifacts of flint and other fine-grained rock found on the Biluut hills, the possibility of early hominin occupations deserves further investigation.

Fig. 65: Biluut 1-4 hillside site


48

Biluut 2-1 ‘Old Gummer’ Site(GPS N48°39, E88°19) High on the hillside across the B1-2 valley we excavated a circular pavement of unusually large boulders. A boulder-filled pit extended deep into the ground, leading to a rectangular slab-walled and covered chamber. Butchered sheep/goats were found outside the chamber walls and inside, more animal bones and the skeleton of an old toothless individual. A few fragments of ceramic and decayed wood were recovered from a “last meal”. A charcoal sample gave a radiocarbon date of cal. 2340-2150 B.P.

0 50cm 1m

NDATUM 0

1

1

2

23456

3

4

5

6

Biluut 2-1June16th 2011

Surface Map

Fig. 66: Biluut 2-1 Surface Map.


49

Fig. 67: Biluut 2-1 upper burial pit, view NW

Fig. 68: Biluut 2-1 stone coffin with collapsed cover slabs and sheep bones outside east wall, view E


50

Biluut 2-2 Missing Warrior Pazyryk SiteEast of the Biluut 2 hill on the west bank of the Khuiten Gol river are a series of large boulder mounds whose form suggested 2500 year old Pazyryk culture affiliation. One of the more intact- appearing mounds was selected for excavation. In a deep pit in the sandy subsoil were remains of a rectangular log chamber. Along the north outside wall of the chamber were the bones of a horse with an iron harness bit and remnants of wooden harness decorations. Other animal remains were found outside and inside the chamber. Beneath a log floor, thought to have been the bottom of a looted burial, were remains of a Pazyryk-style ceramic vessel, masses of decayed felt, and small pieces of gold foil, some retaining the repoussé images of argali sheep—a common element in Pazyryk harness decoration. Human skeletal remains were missing and may have been removed by looters, who never discovered the sub-floor cache. A radiocarbon date on a horse tooth returned a date of cal. 2120-1980 BP.

Fig. 69: Horse skeleton from Pazyryk burial, view S, photo by Dave Edwards

Fig. 70: Remains of log chamber beneath Pazyryk burial box floor, view S, photo by Dave Edwards


51

Verti

cal S

lab

Smal

l Cob

blesN1m

50cm

0

0 2 4 6 8 10

24

68

1012

Bilu

ut 2

-2Pa

zyry

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ne 2

0th

2011

Surf

ace

Map

DAT

UM

Fig.

71:

Bilu

ut 2

-2 P

azyr

yk S

ite


52

Biluut 2-3 Child Burial SiteA low pavement mound 4.5m in diameter south of the horned peak Biluut 2 covered a slab feature surrounded by large long border rocks. In a shallow depression beneath the slabs was an extended burial lying on its right side, oriented N-S. Charcoal samples were recovered but no burial goods were found. A human phalange produced a radiocarbon date of cal. 3210-2990 B.P.

Flat Slab0 50cm 1m

NDATUM 012345

1

2

3

4

5

Biluut 2-3Child Burial Site

June 20th 2011, Surface Map 1

Fig. 72: Biluut 2-3 Map 1


53

Fig. 73: Biluut 2-3 burial slabs exposed, view W. photo by Dave Edwards

Fig. 74: Biluut 2-3 mound with surface rocks cleaned, view W


54

Flat Slab

Biluut 2-3Child Burial Site, Map 2

June 21st 2011

0 50cm 1m

N012345

1

2

3

4

5

DATUM

Fig. 75: Biluut 2-3 Map 2.


55

1 7

3 2

9 8

6

4

5

2S

3S

4S

1W/1S2W3W4W

Biluut 2-3‘Child’ Burial

June 21st 2011

-22

-21

-20

-25

-31

-29

-33 -34

-28

-28

-26

-23-18

-26

-31-31-27

0 50cm 1m

N

DATUM

Finds:1. Small bone frag. 41cm bd2. Small lump of organic mate-rial 40cm bd3. Finger bone, 42cm bd, sampled for C144. Finger bones (n=2), 43cm bd5. Finger bones (n=2), 50cm bd6. Skull, 44-48cm bd7. Incisor, 49cm bd8. Toe bone, 48cm bd9. Toe bone, 48cm bd

Top of skull, 44cm bd. Top of pelvis, 49cm bd. Bottom of pelvis, 57cm bd. Left knee, 54cm bd. Right knee, 53cm bdFinds in boldMeasurements indicate cm below datum

Fig. 76: Biluut 2-3 coffin beneath capstones

Fig. 77: Biluut 2-3 ‘child’ burial Finds.


56

Biluut 2-4 Flexed Burial SiteA small 1.5m diameter circular boulder feature north of the horned peak of Biluut 2 produced an irregular slab-lined grave beneath three large slabs. The skeleton was flexed on its left side with its head toward the east. No artifacts were found. A human bone gave a radiocarbon date of cal. 3340-3160 B.P.

Fig. 78: Biluut 2-4 burial in flexed position, view S (trowel points north), photo by Dave Edwards

Fig. 79: Biluut 2-4 2nd level rocks, view N


57

132

4

5

3WBiluut 2-4

June 15th 2011Flexed Burial Site, Map 1

2W 1W

1S

2S

3S

N0 50cm 1m

0

3W 2W 1W

1S

2S

3S

0

DATUM

Maps 2 and 3

Round RockFlat SlabVertical SlabInclined Slab

Finds:1: Tarsal, big toe bone, 46cm bd2: Tarsal, big toe bone, 46cm bd3: Right clavical, not intact4: Rib fragment, 46cm bd5: Tarsal, small toe bone, 46cm bd

Top of skull, 36cm bdTop of ribcage, 46cm bdAnkle bone, not articulated, 45cm bdLump of yellowish organic material, possible thin iron blade embedded, 47cm bdDecayed bone fragment, 27cm bdCharcoal sample, burial level, E of right femur, 46cm bd

Fig. 80: Biluut 2-4 Maps 2 and 3.


58

Biluut 2-5 Stone Man SiteIn the plain northwest of B2 we excavated the southernmost (F1) of four square slab-bordered Turkic ritual enclosures having standing stones on their east sides. This feature had been looted, but we recovered a piece of plain ceramic, charcoal, and numerous animal bones. Its standing stone had a crudely-carved human face on its east side, and a row of vertical bal-bal slabs extended many meters to the east. The other enclosures with standing stones and bal-bals were mapped but not excavated. A charcoal sample from Feature 1 produced a radiocarbon date of cal. 1410-1310 B.P.

Fig. 82: Biluut 2-5 stone man, view NW

Fig. 83: Biluut 2-5, 2nd level rocks, view SE

Fig. 84: Biluut 2-5, pre-excavation, view SW

Fig. 81: Excavation of Biluut 2-5, photo by Dave Edwards


59

Biluut 2-5Stone Man Site

Map 1July 6th-7th 2011

N

Standing StoneVertical Bal-bal SlabFallen Slab50cm Test UnitStudy AreaExcavation Area

10

20

30

40

40

50

60

70

80

0

0 1m

F1 F2 F3 F4

(for extension see right column)

(excavated)

Fig. 85: Biluut 2-5 Stone Man Site Map 1


60

1

6

257 3

4C

3

C1

C4

C2

6 5 4 3 2 1 01

23

4

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ock

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iluut

2-5

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June

7th

201

1

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C4:

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Fig.

86:

Bilu

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-5 S

tone

Man

Site

Map

2


61

46

25

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2W4N 2N 0

2W4W

6W

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Man

Site

Map

3, F

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July

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201

1

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DAT

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3. T

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87:

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-5 S

tone

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Site

Map

3, F

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62

Test Pit

Biluut 2-6Hillside Site

July 8th 2011Map 1:

Surface RocksSlope: 30°

(not to scale)

0 1m 2m

NDownhill

Excavated to -95cm ending in yellow gravelly soil, but discovered patches of charcoal and small pieces of schist even at a depth that otherwise seemed sterile. Marmot skeleton found at -75cm at base of large rock. Edge of pit ran behind large rock in SW corner starting at -40cm. Small bones were discovered starting about -15-25cmbs. Bones were scattered throughout in brown/tan soil, like spots of charcoal. Fill included boulders and slabs in upper levels, few slabs were found at lower levels. ‘Grave’ pit extends to East beyond our excavation wall. Photo of charcoal lenses depicts upper lens at -55cm and lower lens at -65cm. Retaining wall slabs extend to ~60-70cmbs.

Map 2: Test Pit

75°70°

-35 -75

-55-65

-15

-35-25

Round RockFlat SlabRound Cobble FenceVertical SlabMarmot SkeletonInclined Slab

0 50cm 1m

DATUM0

1

12

2Measurements indicate cm below surface

Charcoal Sample

Biluut 2-6 Hillside SiteThis large circular pavement of slabs and rocks is situated on a 20° slope on a hill overlooking the B2 plain. Looters had excavated the central feature, leaving large slabs scattered on the surface. We excavated the central feature, hoping to find human bones or grave goods. A few non-human bones and a large amount of charcoal were recovered. A C14 date of cal. 3840-3690 B.P. was returned.

Fig. 88: Biluut 2-6 Hillside site Maps 1 & 2


63

Biluut 3-1 Stone Boxes SiteOn the east bank of the Khuiten Gol across from the Pazyryk mounds (B2-2) we excavated a circular pavement feature that appeared to be a burial. However, below the center of the pavement we found two small slab boxes with stone covers 30cm apart. The boxes were empty except for mouse remains. These boxes, which is all respects except their miniature size resemble full-size slab burial coffins, may have been used for ritual burials or possibly for pre-natal burials. The space inside the boxes was too small even for late-term fetuses. The sample produced a C14 date of cal. 920-780 B.P.

Fig. 89: Biluut 3-1 mound with gathering storm overhead, view NW

Fig. 90: Biluut 3-1 stone boxes and possible seats, view N


64

This mound is a low feature that consists more of a pavement than a built-up mound. A second layer of cobbles and boulders existed in some areas however, and there were slabs beneath the surface rocks, including a few in the outer edge of the pavement. The northwest sector has very gravelly soil; the rest is primarily tan sand. All but a few rocks are river cobbles. The form of the pavement is more round than rectangular, but this may result from rocks being displaced from their original position, especially in the NW; a rectangular structure may have been the original form. A rodent hole was found inside the ring rocks in the NW quadrant.

N

6 5 4 0

5

4

3

3

2

2Biluut 3-1

Stone Boxes SiteJune 27th 2011Surface, Map 1

N 48° 39.137 E 88° 21.642Elevation: 2118m

1m50cm0

1

1

DATUM

5 4 3 2 1 0

1

2

3

4

Map 2Features 1, 2

FEA. 1

FEA. 2

1

Other than the mound rocks, which were mostly river cobbles except for a few slabs in the north and northeast edges of the mound, there was nothing distinctive about the mound. The only cultural features were the two slab-walled and covered boxes and two slab rocks just inside the ring perimeter NNW of the boxes. These were set slightly below ground level and beneath the first level of mound rocks. Both box features were empty when top slabs were removed. One single slab covered Fea. 1 and several arranged crosswise to the box in Fea. 2. Nothing inside boxes but mouse nest vegetation. The function of the boxes could not be determined, but a possible function is internment for two very young or premature infants. Why no human bones were preserved may be due to the shallow nature of the boxes. NW slabs could have been “devotional seats” for grieving parents.

Round RockFlat SlabGravelRodent Run

Datum is 13cm above ground surface1: Small fragment of bone ~12cm bd in gravelly tan soil. Possible human finger bone- possible C14 date. Feature 1- Top: 3cm bd, Bottom: 26cm bd, Orientation: 320°Feature 2- Top: 10cm bd, Bottom: 30cm bd, Orientation: 320°

DATUM

Fig. 91: Biluut 3-1 stone boxes, surface Map 1


65

Biluut 3-2 Empty Grave SiteSmall empty grave that Bayaraa dug.

Flat

Roc

kVe

rtica

l Sla

bIn

clin

ed S

lab

050

cm1m

Bilu

ut 3

-2E

mpt

y G

rave

Site

380c

m

310c

m

10m

10m

8m

Mou

nd

N

Fig.

92:

Bilu

ut 3

-2 E

mpt

y G

rave

Site


66

Biluut 3-3 Peat Valley SiteA few meters east of a small stream running between Biluut 3 and Broken Rock Mountain (Angarkhai Uul) to the east, in a region we called ‘Peat Valley’ because of the presence of a large deposit of peat in an expansion of the stream bed at the north end of the valley, we found a rectangular structure with an unusual internal configuration. The site lies on the east side of the stream, about 20 meters from the stream bed, adjacent to a circular burial mound composed of large boulders. A circular rock arrangement adjacent to the east side of the mound was tested without positive results. However, the rectangular structure proved to be very interesting, having dimensions of 6.5m x 7m, with its external walls composed of parallel lines of cobbles three stones wide laid down in parallel courses. An opening in the west wall suggested a doorway. A circular cobble hearth ring occupied the center of the structure, and in this hearth we recovered a large amount of calcined small mammal bone, possibly of rabbit or marmot, and charcoal. At least two and possibly more re-uses of this hearth was indicated by internal stratigraphy. In the north center interior of the structure a large stone, without any markings, stood erect, possibly not associated with the original structure. However, integral with the structure’s architecture were four 1.5m x 0.75m troughs, two aligned east-west extending from the west and the east walls north of the central hearth and two similarly-placed troughs south of the hearth. Each trough was composed of a several large slabs inclined into the bottom of the trough from the north and south sides, each having small cobbles in the trough interiors. No charcoal or bone remains were found in the troughs. However, we recovered small flakes of chert in a cultural level from 0-5cm below the surface, where a fragment of a microblade core and a small scraper were also found. A cursory metal detector survey around the outskirts of the site produced two pieces of melted bronze, suggesting the possibility of a metal-working component in the site area. The western edge of the burial mound along the east side of the rectangular structure appeared to override (i.e. to post-date) its eastern wall. Charcoal from the central hearth produced a date of cal. 3900 BP. Other than chert flakes, charcoal, and bone fragments no other cultural materials were recovered inside the structure. The architectural form is unusual—no other examples of such a structure are known from Mongolia. The troughs with cobbles might represent heating facilities, but did not appear scorched or fire-cracked.

Fig. 93: Peat Valley Site Biluut 3-3, surface cleared, view W


67

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

77

6

5

4

3

2

1

FEA. 5FEA. 4

Test Pit 125 cmbs

FEA. 2

Test Pit 2charcoal, FCR, flakes15cmbs

FEA. 1

A

B C

D

(excavated to sterileinside features)

47cmgranitestandingstone

FEA. 3

(disturbed area)

verticalschist slab

fallenschiststandingstone

(disturbed area)

shalestandingstone, 17cm

8BedrockVertical SlabBurial Mound Rock (intrusive)Naturally Occurring RockInclined SlabFlat Rock

Biluut 3-3, Peat Valley SiteJune 24th-27th 2011

Burial Mound immediately to E of structure and some of its rocks have rolled down the NE side of the structure. E wall is incomplete due to cannibalization for building burial mound. Two standing schist slabs along E wall are probably associated with the burial mound, which also has a schist standing stone in its S side. High granite standing stone may also be a mound feature.

C - D Profile view SoutheastA - B Profile view East

N0 50cm 1m

DATUM

Burial Mound

Fig. 94: Biluut 3-3, Peat Valley Site


68

50

Central Hearth: Southeast Profile150NW100NW50NW

Biluut 3-3June 24th 2011Hearth Profiles

Central Hearth: East Profile at 4W

325S350S 375S 400S 425S 450S

25

50

75

25

50

75

0NW

Notes for B3-3: The ‘Peat Valley Site’ is located where the Peat Valley stream emerges from a narrow gorge below the peat bog upstream. The site includes a burial mound with large rocks and a couple of standing stones of metagrey-wacke, neither with markings. Adjacent to the mound to the East is a boulder ring about 6m in diameter that we tested, finding nothing. Adjoining the mound on its West side we found a rectangular structure clearly outlined by cobblestone walls 80-100cm thick composed of three lines of cobbles with spaces filled with small round pebbles. A doorway is indicated by a break in the middle of the West wall. Perhaps this is a foundation for a peat or turf wall. An oval ring in the center if the structure contained burned bone, possibly marmot or rabbit, charcoal, and in its SE side some hardened burnt earth, possibly from oil or fat. Four E-W oriented troughs bordered by inward-slanting slabs occupied each of the four quadrants of the structure and were attached to its walls. A few flakes and bits of charcoal were found in one (Fea. 4). The troughs were shallow and do not penetrate the subsoil. Boulders from the mound had fallen into the NW corner of the structure and some of its wall rocks were missing on the East side, cannibalized for building the mound. Some slabs from the troughs had been displaced. Test pits 1 and 2 produced debitage of flint and other materials in the same level as charcoal and burned bone, suggesting an occupation level 8-10cmbs. Eroded flat-topped boulders also suggest an original ground surface at the same level. Twenty-five flakes, a microblade core, and several core preparation flakes were found. We were able to link these to the hearth deposits because we found burned bone and charcoal in the buried soil surface in Test Pit 1 to the east of the hearth. Most of the flakes found were in the NW area of the structure, and it was here that the core and linear flakes were located. Current guess is that this is a Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age structure when microblades were very thin and still in use but not many other stone tool types were being used. It is interesting that the hearth seemed exclusively filled with marmot/rabbit bones and not sheep/goat etc. Perhaps some ritual use. The hearth seemed to have been used several times and initially had been formed as a larger size and later was reduced by adding two stones inside its west end. The function of the troughs is the most peculiar thing about the site; four identical features, symetrically placed and carefully made. We only excavated two, numbers 2 and 4, and found a few flakes and a tiny bit of charcoal in #4. They are too complex to be partitions and were not burials. Feeding troughs for animals perhaps? Drinking troughs? But then they should have been waterproofed, and they were only set in sandy soil.

TopsoilTopsoil with burned boneCharcoal with burned bone

Red fired earth, no boneCompact tan with burned boneRocks

Measurements in cm

Measurements in cm

25

A B

DC

Fig. 95: Central Hearth East Profile


69

Fig. 96: Biluut 3-3 microblade core

Fig. 97: Biluut 3-3 hearth base



Fig. 100: Biluut 3-3 Test Pit 2 cul-tural level at old ground surface

Fig. 101: B3-3 hearth, consolidated mass in SE


70

43

2522 23 24

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8Unexcavated

7

811

12

Test Pit 1

1821 19

17

20

1316 14 15

9

1

54

10

Test Pit 2

2223

2524


Finds0 50cm 1m

N

DATUM

Finds:1. Metal sprue, possible bronze2. Metal sprue, possible bronze3. Chert microblade core, surface4. Linear chert flake, 2cm bd5. Green chert flake6. Green chert flake7. Grey chert flake8. Grey chert flake, turf9. Grey chert flake, turf10. Grey chert flake, turf11. Orange chert flake, turf12. Grey chert flake, soil13. Grey chert flake, soil14. Grey chert15. Brown chert flake, 15cm bd16. Grey chert flake, 16cm bd, at level of large rock17. Tan quartzite flake, 10cm bd18. Chalcedony linear flake, 9cm bd, possible microblade19. Tan quartzite flake, 9cm bd20. Tan quartzite flake, 4cm bd21. Tan quartzite flake, 8cm bd22. Tan chert linear flake23. Core preparation flake24. Core flake, 10cm bd25. Core flake, 10cm bd

Also found burned bone and charcoal from ~8-10cm bd

Fig. 102: B3-3 finds


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1

2

34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

1213

14(?)

15(?)

16

1718

East Bay-1Khirigsuur

July 9th 2011Hearth Circles Map

(not to scale)

N

Excavated (charcoal+burned bone samples)

Possible buried hearth rings

Sandy gravel hill

Stone Hearth Circles

Bearing to Mound Center:1. 152°, 7 rocks, disturbed2. 157°, 8 rocks, disturbed3. 174°, 5 rocks, disturbed4. 205°, 7 rocks, disturbed5. 217°, 9 rocks, disturbed6. 220°, 8 large rocks, one moved out to ‘open’ ring7. 226°, 9 rocks, undisturbed8. 228°, 10 rocks, undisturbed9. 233°, 7 rocks, disturbed, one missing

10. 247°, 10 rocks, disturbed, two missing11. 255°, 8 rocks, disturbed, two missing12. 259°, 8 rocks, disturbed, two missing13. 265°, 9 rocks, three piled in center recently14. 315°, 3 rocks15. 320°, 4 rocks16. 334°, 8 rocks17. 22°, 4 rocks18. 42° 5 rocks

East Bay 1 KhirigsuurOn a sandy point east of EB-1 and under the shelter (east) of a rocky hill that forms a prominent point in the lake shore, is another large circular khirigsuur with a large central mound and many hearth circles outside of the fence line. This khirigsuur had at least 18 external hearths, and the one we excavated produced charcoal dated cal. 2720-2750 B.P. No bone remains were present.

Fig. 103: East Bay 1, hearth 7 completed

Fig. 104: East Bay 3, view S Fig. 105: East Bay 3, hearth 1 completed

Fig. 106: East Bay-1 Khirigsuurs, Hearth Circles Map


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East Bay 2(No description).

(Exposed side in situ) Height: 110cm, Width: 27cm, Length: 18cm

East Bay-3, KhirigsuurDeer Stone

July 9th 2011

East Bay 3 KhirigsuurEast of the mouth of the Khuiten Gol a raised terrace extends east for a kilometer before descending to a lower terrace that slopes gradually up from the lake shore to the hills to the north. The higher terrace hosts several site complexes, including a large khirigsuur (Site 333) and a set of Turkic ritual features and some distance to the east a group of smaller khirigsuurs and mounds that have not yet been surveyed. The lower terrace to the east holds several groups of sites which we include in the East Bay series, mostly khirigsuurs, of which four are conspicuous for their large size and careful arrangement. The two western-most of these khirigsuurs were not investigated in 2011, but the third to the east, East Bay 1, was a large circular khirigsuur with four radial spokes that had circular hearths on its northwestern side and a fallen granite Eurasian-type deer stone partially buried at the eastern edge of its central mound. We excavated two of the hearth circles, recovering charcoal and calcined bone in each. One of these samples was dated at 3000-2860 B.P. We excavated the deer stone and found it measured 110cm x 27cm x 18cm, with engravings of a brow band, two earring circles with pendants, a face with three slashes, and a single-groove belt with a suspended axe, dagger, gorytus (quiver), and whetstone. This stone appeared to have fallen from its standing position at the east edge of the mound. The date obtained from the hearth circle must also date the deer stone.

Fig. 107: East Bay 3, Khirigsuurs, Deer Stones


73Fig. 108: East Bay 3 deer stone upright, view NW

Fig. 109: East Bay 3 deer stone back in original position, view NW


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PART IV

Report on the 2011 Khoton Lake Project in Mongolian

Jamsranjav BayarsaikhanNational Museum of Mongolia

Оролцогч байгууллагууд: Монголын Үндэсний Музей

ШУА-ийн археологийн хүрээлэн АНУ-ын Смитсоны хүрээлэн

АНУ-ын Зүүн Теннеси их сургууль

Монгол-Америкийн хамтарсан археологийн судалгааны

ангийн 2011 оны товч тайлан Тайлан бичсэн: .............................. Ж.Баярсайхан MA (Монголын Үндэсний Музейн Судалгааны албаны дарга) ............................... Вильям Фицью Ph.D (АНУ-н Смитсоны хүрээлэнгийн Арктик судлалын төвийн захирал) .............................. Д.Шинэсаран MA (Монголын Үндэсний Музейн Эрдэм шинжилгээний ажилтан) .............................. Г.Бүрэнтөгс BA (Монголын Үндэсний Музейн Эрдэм шинжилгээний ажилтан)

Хотон нуур 2011


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БАТЛАВ: Ж.САРУУЛБУЯН /МҮМ-н захирал, доктор/

МОНГОЛЫН ҮНДЭСНИЙ МҮЗЕЙН БАЯН-ӨЛГИЙ АЙМАГТ АЖИЛЛАХ ХЭЭРИЙН СУДАЛГААНЫ АНГИЙН УДИРДАМЖ

Судалгааны ажлын зорилго. Монголын Үндэсний Музей нь 2011 оноос эхлэн АНУ-ын Зүүн Теннеси их сургууль болон Смитсоны хүрээлэнтэй хамтран “Билүүт –Хотон нуурын хадны зураг бүхий цогцолбор дурсгалт газар” нэртэй эртний судлалын төслийг хэрэгжүүлэх гэрээ байгуулан ажиллаж байна. Энэхүү төслийн хүрээнд Баян-Өлгий аймгийн Цэнгэл сумын нутаг Хотон нуур- Билүүт толгойн хадны зураг болон уг дурсгалт газрын орчим дахь булш, хиригсүүр, тахилгын байгууламжуудыг судлахаас гадна Баян-Өлгий аймгийн нутаг дахь буган хөшөөдийг гүнзгийрүүлэн судлах зорилготой. Дурсгалын ерөнхий байдал. Цэнгэл сумын нутаг Билүүт толгой (Хайргат) нь Баруун Монголын нутаг дахь хадны зурагтай томоохон дурсгалын нэг юм. Араатан амьтан, ан гөрөө, дайн байлдаан, ахуй амьдралын зэрэг сэдэвтэй хэд хэдэн үед холбогдох сийлбэр зурагтай бөгөөд Монгол Алтайн хадны зургийн дурсгалуудын томоохон төлөөлөл . Мөн Билүүт толгойн орчим буюу Хотон нуурын сав газар нь Хүрэл зэвсгийн сүүл, Төмөр зэвсгийн эхэн үед холбогдох пазырыкийн үеийн булш, буган хөшөө, хиргисүүр, Түрэгийн үеийн тахилын онгон, бичээс зэрэг арвин их дурсгалтай газар юм. Судалгааны арга. Тус судалгаанд олон улсын жишигт нийцсэн орчин үеийн архелогийн судалгааны арга, барилыг ашиглан ажиллахын зэрэгцээ байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны зарим арга, техник технологийг тохируулан хэрэглэнэ.

Судалгааны ангийн бүрэлдэхүүн Монголын талаас : Төслийн ерөнхий удирдагч Ж.Саруулбуян (Монголын Үндэсний Музейн захирал, Ph.D, дэд профессор) Төслийн хээрийн судалгааны ахлагч Ж.Баярсайхан (Монглын Үндэсний Музейн Судалгаа, үзүүллэг, зохион байгуулалтын албаны дарга) Я.Цэрэндагва (ШУА-ын Археологийн хүрээлэнгийн эрдэмтэн нарийн бичгийн дарга Ph.D, дэд профессор) Төслийн судлаачид Д.Шинэсаран (Монглын Үндэсний Музейн ЭША)


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Г.Бүрэнтөгс (Монглын Үндэсний Музейн ЭША) Эрдэм шинжилгээний туслах ажилтан МУИС-ийн Археологийн ангийн 4 оюутан Туслах ажилчин Тогооч 2 хүн, жолооч 4 АНУ-ын талаас: Судалгааны ангийн ахлагч Вильям Фицью, Ричард Кортум нар Судалгаа хийх хугацаа. 2011 оны 6-р сарын 4-ны өдрөөс мөн оны 7-р сарын 14 хүртэл ажиллана. Хөдлөх хүч Бага оврын автобус -4 Зорчих чиглэл. Судалгааны анги нь Улаанбаатар-Баян-Өлгий- Цэнгэл сум – Билүүт – Баян-Өлгий- Улаанбаатар Судалгааны урьдчилсан үр дүн. Тус шинжилгээний анги нь төлөвлөсөн зорилгын дагуу хадны зургийн дурсгал болон буган хөшөө, булш, хиргисүүр зэргийг лавшруулан судлаж хадны зураг болон буган хөшөөдийн хуулга авах, тухайн дурсгалуудын үүсэл гарал, он цагийн хамаарлыг гүнзгийрүүлэн судлах, судалгааны үр дүнгээр илтгэл өгүүлэл бичиж хэвлүүлнэ. Удирдамж боловсруулсан: ..................................Ж.Баярсайхан

2011-5-23


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Судалгааны ажлын явц

Тус судалгааны ангийн бүрэлдэхүүн 2011 оны 6-р сарын 4нд Улаанбаатар хотоос Өлгий хотод ирж, тэндээсээ 6-р сарын 5нд Баян-Өлгийн аймгийн Цэнгэл сумын нутаг Хотон нуурын сав Билүүт буюу Хайргат толгойн ойролцоо ирж буув. Бид судалгааны ажлаа 6-р сарын 7-ноос эхлэв. B1-1 буюу Билүүт буюу Хайргат толгойн өмнөд дэвсэг дээрх хиригсүүрийн малтлага судалгаа: Энэхүү дурсгал нь Билүүт-1 толгойн(судалгааны дугаар) өмнөд дэвсэг дээр GPS-ийн N 48°39.078 E088°19.087 цэгийн огтлолцол дээр далайн түвшнээс дээш 2188 метрийн өндөрт орших дугуй хүрээтэй хиригсүүр юм. Уг хиригсүүрийн дугуй хүрээний голч 13,1 м, голын чулуун овоолгын голч 7м, өндөр нь 50 см орчим, баруун хойд талдаа хүрээ чулууны захаас 5-6 метрийн зайд зэрэгцээ хоѐр цагираг хэлбэрийн тахилын байгууламжтай. Голын чулуун дараасны хойд захад чулуугаар манаж тогтоосон жижиг буган хөшөөтэй. Буган хөшөөний байрлалыг харахад сүүлд хүмүүс дахин босгосон бололтой (зураг 1).

Зураг 1. Билүүт толгойн өмнөд дэвсэг дээрх хиригсүүр баруун талаас Уг хиригсүүрийн чулуун овоолго дээр байсан буган хөшөө нь хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийсэн 60 см өндөр, 35 см өргөн, 27 см зузаан. Хөшөөний нүүрэн талын орой хэсэгт гурван ташуу зураас сийлэн гаргаснаас өөр ямар нэгэн дүрслэлгүй. Хөшөөний орой хэсэг болон хажуу хэсгээрээ бага зэрэг хаганд идэгдсэн(Зураг 2).


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Зураг 2. Хиригсүүр дээр байсан буган хөшөө Энэхүү дурсгалыг малтан судлахаар сонгосон шалтгаан нь Баруун Монголын нутаг дахь хиригсүүр-буган хөшөөний соѐлын зан үйл, холбогдох он цагийн тодруулах түүнчлэн энэ толгойд буй хадны зургийн дурсгалтай холбогдох ямар нэгэн түүхэн баримт илрүүлэхэд оршиж байв. Бид хиригсүүрйн үндсэн хүрээнээс гадагш 30 см зайнаас дотогш талбайн бүх өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж малтлагаа эхлэв. Түүнчлэн хиригсүүрийн баруун талд буй хоѐр цагираг байгууламжийн өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж малтав. Энэ төрлийн тахилгын байгууламжийг бид судалгаандаа 2-р хэлбэрийн тахилгын байгууламж хэмээн нэрлэж ирсэн юм.

Тахилгын байгууламж 1. Энэхүү тахилгын байгууламж 10 ширхэг том чулууг цагираг хэлбэрт оруулан өрсөн 144 см голчтой. Хиригсүүрийн хүрээ чулууны захаас баруун хойш 5,07м зайд оршино (Зураг 3). Уг тахилгын байгууламжийн гадуур 2х3м талбайд утас татаж малтлага хийхэд газрын өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 10-15см гүнд чулуун цагирагны төв болон өмнөд хэсгээс шатсан модны нүүрсний маш жижиг хэсгүүд, мөн шатсан ясны маш жижиг хэлтэрхий цөөн тоогоор гарснаас өөр зүйл илэрсэнгүй(Зураг 4).

Зураг 3. Зураг 4. Тахилгын байгууламж 2. Уг тахилгын байгууламжийг мөн 10 ширхэг чулуун тойруулан цагираг хэлбэрээр өрж үйлдсэн бөгөөд хиригсүүрийн гадна талын хүрээнээс 5,9 м зайд оршино. Нөгөө тахилгын байгууламжаас хойш 236 см зайд байх ба 164 см голчтой (Зураг 5). Уг байгууламжийн хүрээнд 2х2.5 м талбайд малтлага хийхэд дээрх байгууламжийн нэгэн адил өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 10-15 см гүнд чулуун


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цагирагийн өмнөд хэсэгт илэрсэн хэсэг хар хүрэн хөрснөөс шатсан яс, модны нүүрсний жижиг хэсгүүд олдов (Зураг 6). Үүнээс өөр ямар нэгэн эд өлгийн зүйл илрээгүй.

Зураг 5. Зураг 6. Хиригсүүрийн малтлага: Бид дээрх хоѐр тахилгын байгууламжийг малтахын сацуу сонгосон талбайд хиригсүүрийн өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэж дуусав. Өнгөн хөрсийн хуулж цэвэрлэж дууссаны дараа уг хиригсүүр нь голын дугуй чулуун дарааснаас дөрвөн тийш чулуу өрж үйлдсэн хэрээстэй болохыг олж тогтоов(Зураг 7). Хэрээсний илт мэдэгдэх хэсгүүдийг луужингаар хэмжихэд зүүн өмнөөс баруун хойш чиглэлтэй хэрээс азимутын 320 хэм, баруун өмнөөс зүүн хойш чиглэлтэй хэрээс азимутын 35 хэмд тус тус чиглэж байв. Түүнээс гадна хэрээсийг хүрээ болон төвийн чулуун дарааснаас өөр төрлийн хагарамтгай нимгэн хавтгай хайрган чулуугаар өрж хийсэн байв. Мөн төвийн чулуун дараасны хүрээгээр дээрхтэй ижил нимгэн чулуу нэлээд байснаас ажиглахад чулуун дараасны хаяаг хашиж тавьсан бололтой (Зураг 8).

Зураг 7. Хиригсүүрийн өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж цэвэрлэсний дараа


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Ийнхүү өнгөн хөрсийг хуулсны дараа талбайн гар зураг үйлдэж, голын чулуун дараасны гадна хүрээг үлдээж баруун талаас нь эхлэн төв хэсэг хүртэл чулуун дараасыг зөөвөрлөж, голын зүсэлт зураг хийв(Зураг 8).

Зураг 8. Чулуун дараасны талыг зөөвөрлөсний дараа. Үүний дараа чулуун дараасны үлдсэн хэсгийг зөөвөрлөхөд чулуун дараасны төв хэсэгт ямар нэгэн зохион байгуулалт бүхий өрлөг чулуу ажиглагдаагүй боловч дараасыг зөөвөрлөж доошлох үед хэд хэдэн газар хүний ясны хэсгүүд цухуйж байв. Тиймээс төв хэсэг дэх хэсэг чулуун дараасыг үлдээж бусад хэсгийг нягтлан малтав(зураг 9).

Зураг 9. Чулуун дараасны төв хэсэг


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Малтлагын төвд үлдээсэн чулуун дараасыг зөөвөрлөж цааш малтахад толгойг нь хойд зүгт азимутын 325 хэмд хандуулан тэнгэр өөд харуулан тэнэгэр байдлаар хэвтүүлэн оршуулсан хүний араг яс илрэв. Энэхүү хүний яс эрт цагийн өнгөн хөрсөн дээрээс илэрсэн бөгөөд он цагийн уртад хүний ясны хадгалалт ихэд муудсан байв (Зураг 10).

Зураг 10. Хиригсүүрээс гарсан хүний араг яс. Энэ хиригсүүрээс хүний араг яснаас өөр ямар нэгэн эд өлгийн зүйл илрээгүй бөгөөд тахилга, оршуулгын зан үйл зэргээрээ Монгол орны бусад нутагт малтан шинжилсэн хиригсүүрээс ялгарах зүйлгүй байлаа. Өнөөгийн байдлаар Монгол нутагт малтан судалсан хиригсүүрүүдээс хүний яснаас өөр ямар нэгэн эд өлгийн зүйл илрээгүй хэвээр байгаа билээ. Малтлагын ажил дууссаны дараа нөхөн сэргээлтийг зохих журмын дагуу хийж гүйцэтгэв (Зураг 11 ).

Зураг 11. Нөхөн сэргээлт хийсний дараа


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B1-2 буюу Билүүт -1 толгойн зүүн хойд талд хийсэн малтлага судалгаа: Бидний судалгааны дугаараар бол Билүүт -1 болон Билүүт-2 хоѐр толгойн завсар хооронд (Нутгийн хүмүүс Баруун Хайргат, Зүүн Хайргат хэмээн нэрлэдэг Ж.Б ) байх бэсрэг тогтоол тойрмын баруун хойно, их замын баруун талд баруун өмнөөс зүүн хойш цувран байрласан Пазырык булш боловуу гэмээр намхавтар дугуйдуу (зарим нь дөрвөлжин байсан ч байж болох юм Ж.Б) чулуун дараастай 6 байгууламж буй.Эдгээрийн зүүн хойд талаасаа хоѐр дахь нь хэмжээгээр бусдаасаа нэлээд жижиг. Дурсгал бүрийн чулуун дараас эмх замбараа муутай нэлээд тарсан, гол хэсгээрээ хонхойсан байв(Зураг 12). Эдгээр дурсгал GPS-ийн N 48°39.329 E088°19.493 цэгийн огтлолцол дээр далайн түвшнээс дээш 2093 метрийн өндөрт байрлана.

Зураг 12. Цувраа чулуун байгууламжууд баруун талаас Бид эдгээр 6 дурсгалын баруун өмнөөсөө гурав дахийг сонгон 6х6,2м талбайд малтлага хийсэн юм. Уг дурсгал 6м орчим голчтой гаднаас нь харахад дугуйдуу боловч өнгөн хөрсийг хуулсны дараа дөрвөлжин маягын хэлбэр ажиглагдаж байв(зураг 13).

Зураг 13. Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэсний дараа хойд талаас Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэх явцад малтлагын талбайн зүүн өмнөд хэсгийн чулуун дараасны завсраас адууны шүд болон зарим нэг хугархай ясны хэсгүүд гарч байв. Хөрсийг цэвэрлэж, гар зураг үйлдсэний дараа дурсгалын төв хэсгийн чулуун дараасуудыг зөөвөрлөж эхлэв.


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Дээд талын чулуун дараасыг авч дараагийн үеийн чулуун дараасыг цэвэрлэх явцад малтлагын талбайн зүүн өмнөд хэсгээс адууны шүд, дагзны ясны хагархай хэсгүүд гарч байв. Түүнчлэн нэг том чулуун дараас дороос их хэмжээний нүүрс гарсны сацуу төмрөөр хийсэн охор хутга гарав(Зураг 14-15). Энэ хутга газрын өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 30 см орчим гүнээс гарсан.

Зураг 14. Хоѐр дахь үеийн чулуун дараас (Алаг сум тавьсан чулуун дороос хутга гарсан )

Зураг 15. Малталгаас гарсан төмөр хутга Малтлагыг доош үргэлжлүүлэн малтахад ямар нэгэн булшны нүх илрээгүй бөгөөд удалгүй эх газрын ул хөрс гарснаар малтлагыг зогсоов (Зураг 15). Мөн талбайн бусад хэсгүүдийг малтаж шалгахад ямар нэгэн эд өлгийн зүйл илэрсэнгүй. Дурсгалыг нөхөн сэргээв (Зураг 16).


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Зураг 15. Малтлага дууссаны дараа



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B2-1 буюу Билүүт-2 толгойн баруун өмнө талд хийсэн малтлага судалгаа: 6-р сарын 16 ны өдөр бид Билүүт-2 (Нутгийнхан Зүүн Хайргат гэдэг Ж.Б) толгойн баруун өмнөд дэвсэг дээр орших нэгэн дугуй булшыг малтан судлах ажлыг эхлэв. Уг булш нь GPS-ийн N 48°39.... E088°19.... цэгийн огтлолцол дээр далайн түвшнээс дээш .... метрийн өндөрт байрлах ба 6м орчим голчтой дугуй хэлбэрийн чулуун дараастай(Зураг 17).

Зураг 17. B2-1 дурсгал баруун өмнө талаас Бид уг дурсгалын чулуун байгууламжийг тойруулан 6х6 талбайд малтлага хийв. Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэх явцад баруун хйод талын чулуун дараасны завсраас ваар савны хагархай, бог малын богт чөмөгний толгой олдов(Зураг 18).


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Зураг 18. Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэх үед чулуун дараасны завсраас гарсан олдвор Үүний дараа бид дээрээс хоѐр үе чулуун дараасыг зөөвөрөлөж, цэвэрлэх явцад талбайн төв болон энд тэндээс модны нүүрсний том жижиг хэсгүүд гарч байв. Мөн энэ түвшинд зүүн хойд талын чулуун дараасны завсраас ясан зэвний толгой боловуу гэмээр нэг эдлэл, баруун өмнө талын чулуун дараасны завсраас үл мэдэгдэх дугуй хэлбэртэй ясны хэсэг гарав(Зураг 19).

Зураг 19. Малтлагын явцад олдсон ясан эдлэл болон ясны хэсэг


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Малтлагыг гүн эртний газрын хөрсний түвшинд ирэхэд булшны төв хэсэгт зүүн өмнөөс баруун хойш чиглэлтэй зууван дугуй нүх илрэв. Уг нүх битүү чулуун дараастай байв(зураг 20).

Зураг 20. Булшны нүх болон чулуун дараас (Хойд талаас)

Булшны нүхийг даган доош малтахад том том чулуун дараас үргэлжилсэээр байсан бөгөөд малтлагын гүн өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 60 см орчим гүн болоход булшны нүхний баруун хананд хадгалалт маш муу нарийн модны хэсэг илрэв (Зураг 21). Энэ үеийн чулуун дараасны завсраар доош том хөндий зай гарч байсан бөгөөд түүний завсраар доош үргэлжилсэн том чулуун дараасууд харагдаж байв.

Зураг 21. Модны нарийн мод


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Том том чулуун дараасуудыг авсаар малтлагын гүн 1,2м орчим гүн болоход авсны таг боловуу гэмээр том хавтгай чулуун таглаа гарч ирэв. Энэхүү хавтгай чулууны баруун хойд тал буюу толгой талын хэсэг доош цөмөрч унасан байдалтай байв. Уг авсны таг дээр бог малын хос сүүж, богино хавирга, чөмөг, өвчүүний яс тавьсан байв(Зураг 22).

Зураг 22. Авсны таган дээр байсан бог малын яснууд Авсны таг чулууны урт 170 см, хамгийн өргөн хэсгээрээ 90 см хэмжээтэй. Авсны тагийг авахад мөн авсны ирмэгээс доош мултран унасан хавтгай чулуун таг байв. Малтлагыг цааш үргэлжлүүлэн авсны хананы гадна талуудыг малтах явцад авсны зүүн талд нийт 6 хонь, нэг ямаа дагуулан тавьсан болохыг илрүүлэв. 6 хонины нэг хониноос бусад нь бараг төлөг бололтой. Түүнчлэн нэг ямаа нь шүдлэн ямаа бололтой. Хонинуудын толгойг бүгд баруун хойш буюу хүний толгойн чигт чиглүүлэн хошууг нь зүүн зүг харуулан тавьжээ. Харин ямааг авсны хөл талыг хөндөлдүүлэн мөн л толгойг нь зүүн зүг рүү хандуулсан бөгөөд ямааны хойд хөлний яснууд зарим хавирга нь авсны баруун өмнө талын булан, баруун хананы шороон дотроос гарсан болно (зураг 23-24).

Зураг 23. Бог малын яснууд Зураг 24. Богын толгойнууд


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Бог малын толгойнууд маш хэврэг болсон бөгөөд дагзны хэсгүүд ихэнх нь хэмхэрсэн бөгөөд харин бусад яснууд нь харьцангуй сайн хадгалагдан үлджээ. Авсны баруун ханыг гадна талаас нь дээд доод талд нь тус бүр нэг том чулуугаар хашиж тогтоогоод тэдгээр хойр чулууны завсарт бог малуудыг шахаж давхардуулан тавьсан бол авсны бусад ханыг гадна талаас нь битүү чулуугаар манаж чигжиж тогтоожээ. Хонины яснуудын зарим хэсэг нь шатаж харласан байсан төдийгүй яснуудын хамт энд тэндээс том том модны нүүрс гарч байснаас харахад гал түлж, халуун цогийг тарааж цацлан зан үйл үйлдсэн боловуу гэмээр сэтгэгдлийг төрүүлнэ. Эцэст нь бид авсны доош унасан таглааг авахад толгойг нь баруун хойш хандуулан баруун хажуугаар нь хэвтүүлж, нүүрээр нь зүүн тийш харуулан, хоѐр хөлийг нь атийлган, хоѐр гарыг нь өвдөгний дээр унжуулан тавьсан хүний оршуулга байв. Хүний бүх яс анх тавьсан хэвээр хөдлөөгүй аж. Хүний гарны шууны зэрэгцээ зүүн талд бэсрэг зууван хавтгай чулуун дээр хойлогийн идээ болох бог малын сүүл, асуух нуруу, сүүж, дөрвөн өндөр хавирга, гурван үе нуруу зэргийг тавьсны яснууд нь хадгалагдан үлджээ(Зураг 25-26).

Зураг 25. Авсан доторх хүний араг яс Зураг 26. Цээжин хэсэг болон хойлогийн идээ Уг булшны авсыг хийхдээ доор нь хавтгай чулуунуудыг өрж шал хийгээд түүн дээрээ хоѐр урт хавтгай, хоѐр богиновтор хавтгай чулууг хавиргалан боосгож, толгой болон хөл талын хоѐр богино ханыг баруун зүүн хоѐр урт хананы дунд хавчуулан гадна талаас нь чулуугаар хашиж, түгжиж тогтоогоод дээрээс нь том хавтгай чулуугаар таглажээ. Уг авсны нийт урт 2м, өргөн нь 80 см, өндөр нь 33 см, үүнээс цэвэр дотор талын зай урт нь 147, өргөн нь толгой талдаа 67 см, хөл талдаа 57 см хэмжээтэй(зураг 27).


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Зураг 27. Авсны бүтэц Авсны шал хүртэл малтлагын гүн өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 1,6 м байв. Малтлага дууссаны дараа зохих журмын дагуу нөхөн сэргээлт хийв(зураг 28).

Зураг 28. Дурсгалын нөхөн сэргээлт хийсний дараа


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B2-2 буюу Билүүт-2 толгойн зүүн хойд талд хийсэн Пакырык булшны малтлага судалгаа:

Бидний дараагийн ажил Билүүт -2 толгойн зүүн хойно, Хүйтэн голын баруун эрэг дээр буй Пазырыкын бүлэг булшнаас нэгийг нь сонгож малтан судлах байв. Хүйтэний голруу зүүн талас тохойрон орсон намхан дэнж хөвөөн дээр баруун өмнөөс зүүн хойш цувран байрласан нийт 10 булш буй(зураг 29).

Зураг 29. Хүйтэний голын зүүн эрэг дээрх бүлэг Пазырык булш Эдгээр бүлэг булшнаас зүүн хойд талаасаа хоѐр дахь нь буюу хэмжээгээр хамгийн том 12м голчтой дугуй булшийг сонгож малтахаар болов(зураг 30).

Зураг 30. Хүйтэний голын зүүн эрэг дээрх бүлэг Пазырык булш №1 Энд буй булш бүрийн дараас нэлээд эвдэрч төв хэсгээрээ хонхойж орсон. 2-р булш ч мөн дараас нь эндэ тэндээ хонхойж эртний хэлбэрээ алдсанаас харахад тоногдсон байх магадлалтай байв. Уг булшыг анх бүтээхдээ дугуй дараасны хүрээг тойруулан нимгэн хавтгай чулууг хавиргалан босгож чулуун дараасны хөлийг хашиж өрсөн бололтой бөгөөд энэхүү хашилт чулууны зөвхөн зарим хэсэг нь эртний хэвээр байхад зарим хэсэг нь эвдэрч налж унасан эсвэл хожим тарсан чулуун дараас доогуур орсон байв(зураг 31). Бид уг булшны чулуун хүрээг багтаан 12х12,5м талбайд малтлагаа эхэлж өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж цэвэрлэв.


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Зураг 31. Дурсгалын өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэсний дараа Өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж зураглал хийсний дараа бид чулуун дараасны төврүү 5х5м талбайн дараас чулууг зөөвөрлөж, өнгөн хөрснөөс йлимгүй доошлоход талбайн төв хэсэг дэх чулуу шороо холилдсон дараас дундаас том том модны нүүрс, модны хугархай жижиг хэсгүүд гарч байв. Эдгээрийг харахад уг булш тоногдсон гэдэг нь тодорхой бөгөөд зарим талаар энэхүү шатсан нүүрс, модны хугархай зэрэг нь хожмын зйүл ч байж болох байв. Учир энэ түвшинд янз бүрийн хожмын хог, гэрэл зургийн хальсны өөдөс зэрэг гарч байсантай холбоотой юм. Энэ түвшинд голын чулуу шороон дараасыг сайтар цэвэрлэхэд булшны голд зууван дугуй булшны нүх тод илрэв. Уг нүх уртааш 3,7м, өргөөш 2,4м хэмжээтэй. Урт тал нь үл нь бараг өргөрөгийн дагуу байрлалтай. Нүхний зууван урт талын чиглэл азимутын 280 хэмд чиглэж байв. Мөн энэ түвшинд булшны нүхний баруун хойд захаас сайтар өнгөлж зүлгэсэн нүхтэй чулуун эдлэлийн хагархай хэсэг олдов(зураг 32).

Зураг 32. Булшны нүх, дараасны завсраас гарсан чулуун эдлэл


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Уг чулуун эдлэл чухам юу болохыг хэлэхэд бэрх бөгөөд магадгүй чулуун зүүлт юмуу, билүү чулуу ч байсан байж болох юм. Мөн булшны нүхийг дарсан чулуу, шороон дараасны баруун хэсэг бүхэлдээ хар хүрэн шатсан хөрстэй байв(Зураг 33).

Зураг 33. Булшны нүхний дараасны дээд хэсгээс илэрсэн шатсан хар хүрэн хөрс Булшны нүхийг дагаж малтлагыг цааш үргэлжлүүлэхэд булшны нүхний баруун ирмэг дээр том модон дүнзний үлдэгдэл гарав(Зураг 34).

Зураг 34. Нүхний ирмэг дээрээс илэрсэн дүнзний үлдэгдэл


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Энэ бүгдээс харахад энэ булш тоногдсон болох нь тодорхой болов. Үүнээс доош чулуу шороо холилдсон дараасыг малтсаар малтлагын гүн өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 1,3 м болоход булшны баруун булангаас том дүнзний үзүүр цухуйж доош үргэлжилсээр 1,9 м гүнд хүртэл үргэлжилэв. Энэ түвшинд үүнээс гадна нүхний хойд талд эмхээ замбараа муутай 3-4 дүнз,мөн нөгөө эсрэг талын хананы дагуу бас нэг дүнз гарав. Хойд хананы дагуу буй дүнзний зүүн урд талын үзүүр дороос адууны толгой бололтой яс цухуйж байлаа(Зураг 35).

Зураг 35. Булшны нүхэн доторх эмх замбараагүй дүнзнүүд, дүнзэн дороос цухуйж буй адууны толгой Бид адууны толгойтой талын дүнзнүүдийг авч доош малтахад дүнзэн авсны дагуу бүтэн адууг хэвтүүлж толгойг нь урд зүг рүү хандуулан тавьсан бөгөөд адууны аманд зэвэрч муудсан төмөр амгай зуулттай байв(Зураг 36,37,38 ).

Зураг 36. Авсны хажууд хэвтүүлэн тавьсан морины арас яс.


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Зураг 37. Адууны толгой, аманд зуулттай төмөр амгай.

Тонуулчид дүнзэн авсыг бүхэлд нь сүйтгэсэн боловч адууны ясыг огт хөндөөгүй орхисон байв. Үүний дараа бид дүнзэн авсны эмх замбараа муутай моднуудыг хэд хэдэн үе цэвэрлэж эцэст дүнзэн авсны дүнз эгнүүлэн тавьж хийсэн шаланд тулж очив. Өөрөөр хэлбэл авсны шал хүртэл ямар ч хүний яс, эд өлгийн зүйл гарсангүй (Зураг 39). Тонуулчид шалд хүртэл бүрэн тоносон болох нь илэрхий болов.

Зураг 38. Төмөр амгай

Зураг 39. Авсны шал


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Авсны шалыг сайтар цэвэрлэж зураг авсны дараа бид шалны дүнзнүүдийг нэг нэгээр нь авахад шалан дороос жижиг чулуу зулж дэвсэн дээр нь авсны шалыг өрж тавьсан бөгөөд сонирхолтой нь шалан дороос маш сайн хийцтэй ваар сав гарсан боловч харамсалтай нь хагарч бутарсан байв. Хэдий тийм боловч уг ваарны бүх хагархай хэсэг тэнд байсан бөгөөд сэргээн засварлах боломжтой юм(зураг 40). Мөн ваарны хажууханд үл мэдэгдэх мод үйсээр хийсэн нэлээд том хэмжээтэй эд байсан боловч өгөршиж муудаад авах ямар ч боломжгүйгээс гадна чухам юу байсан эсэхийг мэдсэнгүй (Зураг 41). Гагцхүү цэвэрлэж болох хэсгийг цэвэрлэж зураг авснаас гадна дээж авсан болно.

Зураг 40. Шалан дороос гарсан ваар савны хагархай

Зураг 41. Шалан дороос гарсан үл мэдэгдэх модон эдлэл


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Энэхүү булшны шал өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 2,5м гүнд байсан бөгөөд дүнзэн авсны нийт урт нь 3м, толгой талын өргөн хэсгээрээ нийт 1,3 м, дотор талын цэвэр зай нь уртааш 2,4м, толгой талдаа өргөөш 1м, хөл талдаа 85см өргөн байв. Авсыг хийхдээ дүнзнүүдийг үзүүрийг зөрүүлэн, цавчиж заадал гарган зааж хийсэн байна(Зураг 42). Авсны хананы өндөр чухам хэд байсныг мэдэх боломж байсангүй.

Зураг 42. Дүнзэн авсны өнцгийн бүтэц (хадгалагдаж үлдсэн хэсэгтээ) Үүний дараа бид талбайн бусад хэсгүүдийг нягтлан шалгаж, нөхөн сэргээлтийг хоѐр өдрийн турш хийж гүйцэтгэв(Зураг 43).



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B2-3 буюу дугуй булшны малтлага судалгаа Бид Билүүт- 2 толгойн баруун хойд талд орших жижиг хадан цохионы урд талд орших хоорондоо ойролцоо зайтай орших 5 булшны зүүн талаасаа 2 дахь булш буюу 4.5м гочтой дугуй намхан дараастай булшыг сонгон малталт хийв. Уг булш нь хүрээгээрээ том чулуун параастай гол хэсгээрээ жижиг чулуун дараастай, сайтар ажиглаваас үл мэдэг дөрвөлжиндүү хэлбэр харагдана (зураг 44).

Зураг 44. Өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж цэвэрлэсний дараа Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэж, дээд талын чулуун дараасыг зөөвөрлөхөд булшны төвд том хавтгай чулуун дараас, түүнийг тойрсон том гонзгой чулуун дараасууд гарав(Зураг 45).

Зураг 45. Голын чулуун дараас


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Энэхүү хавтгай чулуун дараасыг авахад газрын өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 50 см гүнд толгойг нь хойд зүг хандуулан, баруун хажуугаар нь хэвтүүлж баруун тийш харуулан хоѐр хөли йг нь үл мэдэг атийлган оршуулсан хүний араг яс гарав. Уг ясны хамт ямар ч эд өлгийн зүйл байсангүй(Зураг 46).

Зураг 46. Чулуун дараас дороос илрүүлсэн хүний араг яс Үүний дараа малтлагыг дуусгаж, дурсгалын нөхөн сэргээлтйиг хийв(зураг 47).



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B2-4 буюу жижиг дугуй булшны малтлага судалгаа Дээр дурдсан хадат цохионы баруун хажууд жижиг дэвсэг дээрхэмжээгээр маш жижиг хоѐр дугуй булш бий. Энэ хоѐр булшны нэгийг сонгон малтлага хийв. Уг булш нь хоѐр булшны баруун талынх бөгөөд 3 м голчтой, намхан дугуй чулуун дараастай(Зураг 48).

Зураг 48. Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэсний дараа

Өнгөн хөрсийг цэвэрлэж зураглал хийсний дараа хамгийн дээд үеийн чулуун дараасыг авахад булшны төв хэсэгт гурван том хавтгай чулуун дараасыг тойрсон жижиг чулуун дараасууд илрэв(зураг 49).

Зураг 49. Хавтгай чулуун дараас


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Эдгээр хавтгай чулуун дараасуудыг авахад үүний дороос хавтгай чулууг хавиргалан босгож хийсэн чулуун хайрцаган дотор толгойг нь зүүн хйош хандуулан, заан талаар нь хажуулдуулан хоѐр хөлийг атийлган тавьсан оршуулга илрэв(зураг 50).Уг оршуулга газрын өнгөн хөрснөөс доош 30 см гүнд байв. Хүний яснаас өөр ямар ч эд өлгийн зүйл гараагүй.

Зураг 50. Булшнаас гарсан хүний араг яс Үүний дараа малтлагыг дуусгаж нөхөн сэргээлт хийв(Зураг 51).



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B1-3 буюу Түрэгийн үеийн тахилын байгууламжийн малтлага Билүүт I – н зүүн урд үзүүрийн бэлд байх жижиг нуурын баруун эрэг дээр орших зэрэгцээ хоѐр дугуй хэлбэрийн хоорондоо 250 см зайтай битүү чулуун дараастай тахилын байгууламж үүний баруун талын байгууламжын дараас чулуу огт хөдлөөгүй анхны байрлалаараа үлдсэн ба үүний дунд чулуун хөшөө босгосон байна. Чулуун хөшөөний өндөр 131 см, өргөн 46 см, зузаан 13 см хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийжээ. Зүүн талын цагарган байгууламжын дараас чулуу нэлээд эмх цэхцгүй болсон нь магадгүй дээрээ хөшөөтөй байсан бөгөөд түүнийг дараа нь өөр зүйлд зөөж хэргэлсэн ч байж болхоор зүйл ажиглагдаж байлаа. Үүний ард 130 см зайнд тэгш өнцөгт хэлбэрийн жижиг босоо чулуун хашлагатай голдоо чулуун дараасгүй байгууламж байх бөгөөд урт нь 10 м 70 см, өргөн нь 5 м 30 см байна. Дугуй хэлбэртэй дээрээ хөшөөтөй буюу баруун талын байгууламжын голч 220 см, зүүн талын дугуй байгууламжын голч 240 см байна. Байршил: N 48˚39′6.2974″ W 88˚19′40.8701″

Бид энэхүү тахилын байгууламжуудыг нийт талбайгаар нь 18 м х 8 м харьцаатай талбайд өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж цэвэрлээд дэвсгэр болон Фото зургыг хийлээ. Малтлагын явцад тэгш өнцөгт дөрвөлжин байгууламжын дотуур дахин чулуугаар хүрээ хийсэн нь мэдэгдсэн бөгөөд баруун захын хүрээнээссалгалгүй жижиг чулуугаар үйлдсэн дугуйдуу гурван цагараг байх ба эдгээрийн дундах байгууламжаас нь маш бага хэмжээний нүүрс гарлаа.


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Нүүрс илэрсэн байгууламж

Малтлагаа цааш үргэлжлүүлж хөшөөтөй болон хөшөөгүй байгууламжаас нүүрс болон өөр ямар нэг зүйл илрээгүй бөгөөд тэгш өнцөгт байгууламжын гол дунд 35х35 см гүн 30 см талбайтай хэсгээс их хэмжээний нүүрс маш бага хэмжээний шатсан яс гарсан бөгөөд ямар амьтны яс гэдэг нь тодорхойгүй байна. ингээд бидний малтлага дуусч нөхөн сэргээлт хийлээ.


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Тэгш өнцөгт байгууламжын гол хэсгээс илэрсэн нүүрс болон шатсан яс

Нөхөн сэргээлт хийсэн байдал B2-5 буюу Түрэгийн үеийн тахилын онгоны малтлага Билүүт II – н ард Арал толгой заставруу явдаг машин замаас холгүй байх дөрвөн тахилын онгоныг зэргэцүүлэн байрлуулсан бөгөөд эдгээр тахилын онгоныг үйлдэхдээ дөрвөлжиндүү хэлбэр гарган жижиг хавтгай чулуугаар хаяагий нь хашиж жижиг бөөрөнхий чулуунуудаар битүү дараас хийсэн байх ба бүгд урдаа хөшөө чулуутай эдгээрээс нэгд нь л хүний нүүрий дүрс сийлсэн мөн


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нар мандах зүг буюу зүүн урагш чиглэсэн балбал буюу зэл чулуутай байна. Эдгээр байгууламжыг бид баруун талаас 1, 2, 3, 4 гэж дугаарлаж дэвсгэр болон фото зургыг хийлээ.

1 дэх байгууламжын голч 470 см урдаа хүн чулуутай. Хүн чулууны өндөр 105 см, өргөн 32 см, зузаан 18 см хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийжээ. Хүний дүрсий толгой хэсэг маш сайн харагдах бөгөөд мөр хэсгийн зураас зүүн гар бололтой доош татсан зураас мэдэгдэж байна. Зүүн урагш чиглэсэн балбал чулуу 16 ш бөгөөд эдгээрээс 2 нь босоо бусад чулуу бүгд унасан байдалтай байна. 2 дох байгууламжын дараас чулуу анхны байрлалаасаа хөдөлсөн бөгөөд урдаа хөшөө чулуутай ямар нэг дүрсгүй нүүрэн талд нь 1973 он гэж бичжээ. Өндөр 70 см, өргөн 24 см, зузаан 9 см хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийсэн баруун тийш бага зэрэг хазайсан зүүн урагш чиглэсэн балбал чулуу 6 ш 1 чулуу босоо бусад нь мөн унасан байна. 3 дах байгууламжын дараас чулуу мөн хөдөлсөн урдаа чулуун хөшөөтөй. Хөшөөний өндөр 86 см, өргөн 45 см, зузаан 14 см хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийсэн зүүн урагш чиглэсэн балбал чулуу 4 ш мөн 1 чулуу босоо бусад чулуу унасан байна. 4 дэх байгууламжын дараас чулуу мөн эмх цэгцгүй болсон бөгөөд маш жижиг хөшөө чулуутай. Хөшөө чулууны өндөр 17 см, өргөн 25 см, зузаан 6 см хөх саарал өнгийн чулуугаар хийсэн зүүн урагш чиглэсэн балбал чулуу 8ш эдгээрээс босоо 1 ш бусад нь унасан байдалтай байлаа. Байршил: N 48˚40′16.5416″ W 88˚19′13.6369″ Бид өөрсдийн дугаарласнаар 1 дэх хүн чулуутай байгууламжыг 6х6 м хэмжээтэй талбайд малтлага хийж өнгөн хөрсийг хуулж цэвэрлээд фото зургыг авч дараас чулууг нь аван малтах явцад хөшөөний ард хавийн талбайгаас маш их хэмжээний шатсан нүүрс гарч байлаа. Мөн малтлагын талбайн баруун талаас бод малын 1ш далны ясны толгой, 1ш шүд, зүүн талын захаас мөн бод малын чөмгөний ясны хэсэг олдож өөр зүйл илэрсэнгүй. Түрэгүүд тахилга үйлдэхдээ ямар нэг зан үйл хийж тал тал тийш нь ямар нэг зүйл өргөсөн байж магадгүй гэж үзэн эдгээр тахилын онгоны урд 4 м зайд 50 х 50 см дөрвөлжилж тест малтлага хийж үзсэн боловч маярч соѐлт давхрага илэрсэнгүй тул нөхөн сэргээлт хийлээ.


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Түрэгийн үеийн тахилын онгон

Малтаж дууссан 1 дэх байгууламж


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Тест малтлага хийж дуусч байгаа нь

Нөхөн сэргээлт хийсэн нь


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PART V

Latest Rock Art Research at Khoton Lake, Summer 2011

Richard KortumEast Tennessee State University

Study site location, and field research dates: Biluut at Khoton Lake, Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Bayan Ulgii Aimag. June 6 - July 11, 2011

Rock art team: Dr. Richard Kortum, Project Co-Principal Investigator, East Tennessee State University, USA Dr. Yadmaa Tserendagva, Scientific Secretary, Institute of Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of SciencesDr. Kenneth Lymer, Wessex Archaeology, Salisbury, England, UK Jargalsaikhan Baatar (Jagaa), field assistant, Ulgii tour company operator and master’s student in ethnography, National University of MongoliaLuke Champouillon, field assistant, undergraduate honors student, East Tennessee State University. Dr. Lymer, Specialist in rock art of eastern Kazakhstan, worked with the rock art team for three of the five-week field season.

Photographic documentation and videography team: David Edwards, photographer, with credits with National Geographic Magazine, USA James Mills, field assistant, undergraduate honors student, East Tennessee State University

Mapping and GIS support: Dan Cole, Coordinator of GIS, Smithsonian Institution, USA

Objectives: In 2007, Kortum’s laser-surveying team documented all the petroglyphs on Biluut 2, middle one of the three prominent high hills that lie side-by-side in a more-or-less parallel fashion oriented NW to SE on the eastern side of Khoton Lake. The top priority of this summer’s rock art team was to accomplish a complete survey and documentation of all rock art elements on Biluut 3. Easternmost of these petroglyph-bearing hills, Biluut 3 is also the tallest and most massive of the three.

Methods:Beginning at the lowest southern end of Biluut 3, the team systematically worked its way northward toward the summit and westward across the southern face, identifying and flagging all petroglyph elements. Many hundreds of these were found on prominent humps of exposed varnished bedrock; other, more scattered figures, were discovered after careful scrutiny on smaller, irregular panels or individual rocks. Larger, more-or-less distinct panels as well as sections of the mountain with scattered petroglyphs were given alphanumeric designations. The far eastern face of Biluut 3, and the ridgeline from the lower northern hump of bedrock situated above the upper peat bog up to the summit, were likewise scrupulously surveyed. This was new territory, not having been examined


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during any of the 2004, 2005, and 2007 surveys; consequently, nearly 1,500 new figures were discovered on this ‘back’ side of the mountain.

Once a sizeable number of petroglyph figures were flagged, one pair of team members led by either Kortum or Tserendagva recorded coordinates and elevations with an Ashtech MobileMapper 100 hand-held GPS unit with sub-meter accuracy. In addition, more than 20 data points were carefully logged onto prepared data sheets for each figure. These included figure type, dimensions, orientation, chronology (cultural period), technique, and style; rock type, panel dimensions, number of figures in a group, relative groove depth, superimpositions, varnish quality, overall quality, weathering and deterioration, lichen cover, and vandalism, among others. Other qualitative and locational observations were recorded where merited, especially the proximity and orientation to archaeological features such as ancient burial sites or standing stones. Digital photographs were made of each and every figure: of the larger surrounding physical context, of the entire panel, of the scene or grouping, of the individual figure, and, where warranted, of detailed close-ups. For especially interesting, important, or unusual figures or groups, precise tracings were made with black Sharpie pens on clear plastic sheeting. These were later also photographed.

Fig. 110: Major rock art sites at Biluut


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Biluut 3:Prior to this field season Kortum’s surveys had counted 2,100 petroglyphs on Biluut 3. In summer 2011 the team documented 3,677 individual figures. Noteworthy among these are: a small number of archaic (pre-Bronze Age) figures, a fraction of which have tentatively been identified as Paleolithic; a rare “caravan” or transport scene (Fig. 120); a single “birthing woman” (Fig. 121); a number of tamga (Fig. 117); one incredibly complex palimpsest with a large number of superimposed figures; several new Mongolian deer (Fig. 118); an apparent ger; several large powerful bulls (Fig. 119); several miniscule but finely detailed animals; an ibex with folded foreleg and head turned back over its shoulder in a manner suggestive of Scythian or “early nomadic style” artforms.

Fig. 111: Rock art team on Biluut 3, southern slope

Fig. 112: Jagaa and Champouillon trace a panel

Fig. 113: Tserendagva and Kortum examine a figure


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Fig. 114: Petroglyph locations on Biluut 3

Biluut 3 Percent on B3 Biluut 2 Percent on B2Total number of petroglyphs 3,677 1,632Identifiable figurative images 2,124 1,123 Ibex 854 40.2 357 31.8 Horses, including horse & rider 237 11.2 211 18.8 Deer, including Mongolian deer 229 10.8 105 9.4 Canids 198 9.3 102 9.1 Bovids 173 8.2 124 11.1 Human figures, including riders 108 5.1 95 8.5

Preliminary AnalysesComparisons between Biluut 3 and Biluut 2


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Select Petroglyphs found on Biluut 3

Fig. 115: Mounted archer with elaborate headdress (Turkic Period)

Fig. 116: Ibex in early nomadic style (Early Iron Age)

Fig. 117: Tamga (period uncertain)

Fig. 118: Small Mongolian deer, less than 10cm (Late Bronze Age)

Fig. 119: Human figure with bovids (Archaic (pre-Bronze) possibly Paleolithic)

Fig. 120: Cargo, or caravan scene (Bronze Age)

Fig. 121: Birthing woman (Possible Neolithic)


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Biluut 1:With five days to spare, Biluut 3 was finished and the primary objective was accomplished. Biluut 1, nearest the lake, is next in line for the rock art documentation team. Surveys in 2004 and 2005 counted in excess of 4,100 images on this high hill, revealing that Biluut 1 possesses by far the greatest concentration of figures at Khoton Lake. Although a fairly thorough count and typing of figures was made in 2005, few data points were recorded for individual figures, and a far less precise hand-held Garmin GPS device was used to record elevations and coordinates. This instrument is accurate only to within five meters in any of the three dimensions. Accordingly, the team began systematically recording figures on Biluut 1 with the Ashtec MobileMapper 100 unit and their prepared data sheets. Two days were given to surveying the long summit or top ridge, designated Biluut 1A, and two days were given to surveying the next highest steep slope, Biluut 1B. Forty-two figures were fully documented on B1A, and 281 figures were recorded on B1B.

Khuiten Gol Delta:In 2005 and again in 2011 a small number of petroglyphs were observed (by Jagaa and by Dan Cole, respectively) on a rocky outcrop perched directly above the lake shore on the northwestern side of the delta where meandering Khuiten Gol empties into Khoton Lake. On the final day of the field season, Kortum and Tserendagva undertook to record these figures. Surprisingly, their number totaled 129. More significantly, a high proportion was identified as belonging to a pre-Bronze Age period––quite possibly the Neolithic. A significant number of these figures were of unusually large argali that were identified as archaic. All of our data points were recorded for the entire collection of figures at this site. Few photographs were taken, however, and no tracings were made. A full visual documentation (photographs and tracings) will be made in Summer 2012. A precise small circular khirigsuur lies among glacial erratic boulders and the major outcrop. The situation of this rock art collection, being directly above the lake edge and overlooking the adjacent delta, suggests that this is likely a site of considerable age and importance.

Spring House Bluffs:During an assigned day off from fieldwork, Kortum and Jagaa investigated a smaller, but prominent, rocky hill situated to the east of Biluut 3, an outlying spur of the eastward-tending line of a high mountain ridge or chain. A local name is being sought, but some project members began referring to this site as Biluut 4; others called it ‘Spring House Bluffs.’ Immediately up against the protective base of this steep outcrop of exposed bedrock a wooden Spring house and stone-walled corral have been erected. The lower surfaces are marked in very many places with recent graffiti. On the jumbled surfaces Kortum and Jagaa counted but did not record approximately 150 petroglyph figures. The overwhelming majority of these are of very poor quality, both in terms of their state of preservation and of their content and

Fig. 122: Unusual anthropomorphic figure (date un-certain)


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aesthetic appeal: numerous crude, Iron Age ibex, a few horses and/or deer, and a smattering of indistinguishable figures. Perhaps a dozen are worthy of a photograph.

Near the pinnacle of this spur, however, one singularly distinct image has been scratched into a varnished surface: a 50cm engraved outline of an enigmatic, two-horned anthropomorphic figure. Its chronology and cultural affiliation are unknown. As far as Kortum, Tserendagva, Lymer, and project consultant Esther-Jacobson-Tepfer are aware, no other figure of this kind has been recorded elsewhere. A full survey of this rock art site will be undertaken in Summer 2012 and incorporated into the overall Biluut site description and analyses. Of all the rock art sites at Biluut, this one may bear the closest association to ancient settlement locations. Systematic investigations into settlement and domestic patterns at Biluut will commence in 2012.

Other results:In addition to those on the larger, conspicuous hills and outcrops, a small number of petroglyphs were observed by Dan Cole and others in a few other scattered locations. A dozen or so images were discovered in the glacial terraces north and northwest of Biluut 3, for instance; others were found on the southwestern slope of the ‘Iron Mountain’ (known locally as ‘Broken Mountain’) that rises immediately above and to the east of a peat bog that lies below the northeastern slope of Biluut 3. These and other remaining petroglyphs in these vicinities will be fully surveyed in Summer 2012. Finally, one other highly important discovery needs to be included in this report. An image of a wheeled vehicle on Biluut 2, previously recorded in 2007, was found, on reexamination, to be of a form that is almost wholly unique. Whereas all the other two-dozen or more wheeled vehicles found at Biluut, like the many hundreds of those discovered elsewhere in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, China, and throughout Siberia and Central Asia, are presented in a distinctive bird’s-eye, ‘fold-out’ perspective, this one on the northwestern slope of Biluut 2 is rendered in an exceedingly rare naturalistic side-on view. In the coming months, Kortum and Lymer, in collaboration with Tserendagva, intend to research this image-type and publish a paper on the

Fig. 123: Rare side-on view of a chariot, driver, and horses (possible Early Iron age)


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PART VI

Khoton Project Cartographic Diary

Dan ColeSmithsonian, National Museum of Natural History

Prior to leaving Washington, I had purchased high-resolution (1/2 meter) stereo imagery from GeoEye and contracted for digital elevation model (DEM) production from East View Cartographic of the Biluut and Tsagaan Asgat areas. Although the latter area was not visited during the 2011 field season, hopefully, Summer 2012 will prove different (Figure 124). From these DEMs, I was able to create 3-meter and 1-meter contour maps of the areas, as well as slope and aspect maps, to conduct analyses of petroglyphs, burial mounds, standing stones, balbals, and khirigsuurs in relation to each other and to natural features across the landscape.

Wednesday June 8th to Friday June 10th Washington DC to UlaanbaatarI left Washington, DC from Dulles International Airport at midday, flying on Korean Air on a 14-hour trip to Seoul. While the sun never set during this great circle flight, the trip was relatively enjoyable. After a three-hour layover, I boarded another flight from Seoul to UB and arrived at that airport after 10 PM. Zaya picked me up at the airport and took me to her hostel. The following morning there was no electricity at the hostel, so I sat and read until Zaya’s driver took me to the immigration office to get my 30-day visit extended. This was a busy place at the time, with many

Fig. 124: Locations of 2011 and 2012 study area in Mongolia highlighted in Yellow.


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people from the PRC doing the same task. Late that afternoon I met with Anna Maria Marras, an archaeological researcher from Italy with a GIS background, who had been working with Mongolian archaeologists and a Japanese archaeo-astronomer. She made a good argument for examining ancient astronomical events when looking at balbals and other stone alignments.

Saturday June 11thUlaanbaatar to UlgiiI left the hostel at 5AM to catch a flight to Olgii. During the flight I met two young Peace Corps volunteers who are teaching English in small towns. The EZnis flight on a Saab turboprop was quite pleasant. At the Olgii airport, a driver and her daughter and granddaughter picked me up and took me to Blue Wolf Travel. After lunch, we drove to Lake Khoton (Khoton Nuur). The landscape we drove through is what one could label “beautiful desolation.” The long slow journey to camp was very bumpy, but prepared me for many similar trips during the coming weeks. As an aside, during this trip I shared my Lonely Planet phrasebook with two very nice Mongols in the van. I observed that the landscape is a glaciologist’s dream, with many U-shaped valleys, hanging valleys, drumlins, eskers, cirques, braided streams, kettles, and moraines.

Sunday June 12thI woke up early and hiked up the closest hill (Biluut 1) to run some tests on my GPS, an Ashtech MobileMapper 100. Later in the morning, Richard and I searched long for a primary control point established by Jerry Nave on a previous expedition (in 2007), but could not locate it. Activities were rained out for the afternoon, and after the rain ended, Bill, Richard and I drove around the three Biluut hills with Jagaa to have a look at some of the rock art and archaeological sites.

Monday June 13thLots of morning discussions centered on Mongolian history and Native American history. I headed off to Biluut 1 (B1) to map a grid compiling 12 transects of the hill’s western flank. During this time, I had the first of a number of cultural encounters: one with a man on horseback and later with two young boys (ages 6 and 4?) on horseback. The boys followed me for about half an hour. I put in about 15km hiking today with a total of 16 transects over B1. I took my first shower with sun-warmed water just before dinner, which was invigorating. That night, the Mongolian men sat around singing Mongolian or Kazakh folk songs.

Tuesday June 14thIn the morning, I went on foot to plot 40 GPS points of burial mounds, bal-bals, and a khirigsuur (Figure 125) on the south side of B1. While it was very bright and sunny in the morning, we had a thunderstorm in the afternoon, so I stayed in camp and did some post-processing of points collected on my laptop. Later in the afternoon, I climbed around B1 to view more rock art with Richard and Theresa.

Wednesday June 15th

Fig. 125: Recently dug and back-filled circular khirigsuur mound. 2147m elevation; 597085.85, 5389527.61; 597084.79, 5389534.34; 597075.70, 5389534.26; 597075.26, 5389526.46 (UTM coordinates: E, N).


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At breakfast, Bill told a story from the Inuit on how their women protect themselves from polar bears by wearing big, thick gloves. When attacked, the women shove their mitted hand into the bear’s mouth as far as its throat, then slip the hand out, leaving the mitt. This causes the bear to gag and back off. I’m not sure I would want to try my luck with such a defensive action. I spent the day collecting 53 more GPS points throughout the B1-B2 valley.

Thursday June 16thI spent the day mapping more sites (128 points) around B2 in the morning and post-processing in the afternoon.

Friday June 17thI continued to map more sites around B2 in the morning. Later I went to map Turkic stones to the west of the hills but was blocked by an aggressive stallion who was protecting his herd. This detour turned out to be a good opportunity since I found a number of sites (98 points that needed to be mapped, of course) in the outwash plain and on the hill behind the Turkic stones. Meanwhile, we all had to deal with a day of short sun showers and rainbows. That night, Bill gave a presentation on Mongolian deer stones.

Saturday June 18thAt breakfast, we had cream of wheat with yak’s milk, plus oranges from Egypt! Globalized trade is truly everywhere. A couple of sheep were brought in as future food since we often had delicious mutton to eat for our lunches and suppers. This day was also an “off day” and most of us travelled to Aral Tolgoi beyond the west end of the lake where we got to see deer stones and other rock art, plus lots of great scenery. We stopped at a tiny roadside stand that would put any 7-11 to shame with its variety of sodas, beers, candy and other junk food, plus clothing and horse-riding equipment.

Sunday June 19thToday I worked around Biluut 3 (B3) where I plotted a spiral of ground control points in the morning. Since it rained all afternoon, I worked in the “office” ger by helping to shade in (with a Sharpie pen) petroglyphs that were traced in the field. I was popular (or at least my satellite phone was) on this day with all the American students who wanted to call their fathers for Fathers’ Day. Of course, I also surprised my father by calling him.

Monday June 20thMore rain came this morning, and then I went back to work on B3 (60 points) for a while before it started raining again. Tserendagva gave a presentation on Mongolian rock art and petroglyphs.

Tuesday June 21stMore rain came in the morning which led to more Sharpie shading of petroglyph tracings. In the afternoon, I mapped a number of khirigsuurs and other sites (140 points), which were interesting. While out hiking, I got pelted with sleet. At mealtime, we had home-made yogurt from yak milk today, which was good with jelly. By the way, for my head’s sake, I finally got used to ducking below the 4 foot high entry that serves as a doorway for the gers.

Wednesday June 22ndWell, solstice day arrived like a lion last night with high winds and rain (and little sleep). Fortunately, the fly on my new tent proved to be completely waterproof. At least the nearby


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mountains were beautiful with a new coat of snow. In the afternoon, Bill, Richard and I surveyed about 20-30 sites in the B1-B2 valley while a cold wind was blowing. That night, Ken Lymer gave a presentation on rock art in Kazakhstan.

Thursday June 23rdMore snow fell in the surrounding mountains and cold rain fell on our camp site, so we worked on databases in the ger. In the afternoon, I hiked to B3 to finish collecting ground control points. And I called Wanda on the satellite phone for our “mutton” anniversary.

Friday June 24thI worked on field mapping and finding rock art around what I call Biluut 4 (113 points), including a petroglyph panel of animals on a boulder on the slope of Broken Mountain that no one else has recorded! (Figure 126). I saw a lot of interesting geology as well in my hikes. Meanwhile, one of our 4-wheel drive vans broke down in the middle of a stream at lunch time. The driver literally had to crank the engine to get it going again a half hour later. Riding by on his horse, a local herdsman could be heard chuckling at us. That night, Dave Edwards gave a presentation on the female shaman who he got to know a few years ago in this area.

Saturday June 25thThis was a lovely day, weather-wise, warmer and dryer but windy, so I took my first shower in 4 days. Work fell into Murphy’s Law this day: I forgot my GPS equipment in the morning so I had to use Bill’s old Garmin. Then I discovered that I lost Dave’s walkie-talkie. After searching for the device during lunch with no luck, I went back to camp to work on my databases for the afternoon.

Sunday June 26thAnother good day in terms of weather. Summer is here now even though snow can still be seen in the upper areas of the mountains. Therese gave an art show today transforming our office ger into a gallery at lunch. I conducted more data collection (238 points) in the afternoon in and near the burial ground in the outwash plain southeast of Biluut 4. We found out at supper that the Mongolian members of the expedition sometimes get different meat than the Americans, i.e., they prefer internal organs. Nonetheless, I gave my presentation that night on cartography and GIS at SI and on preliminary GIS analysis of our study area.

Monday June 27thWe woke up to a rainbow this morning. Ken, Therese and Tyler left to return to their homes today. Since Bill, Richard, and Bayaraa did not need me to do anything this day, I spent the day in camp post-processing my data. We had rainbows again in the evening, and I read some of the book on Britain’s standing stones left behind by Ken.

Fig. 126: Rock art on a boulder on the slope of Broken Mountain at 2141m elevation; 600264.54, 5390947.23


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Tuesday June 28thWe had some goat cheese (which was not like goat cheese I had tasted before) at breakfast today with our cream of wheat. We ran out of bottled water a couple of days ago so we were relying on boiled water. I worked with Richard in the morning mapping the boundaries of panels of petroglyphs (176 points); and then in the afternoon, I worked with Bayaraa mapping some mounds in the western canyon (139 points). His group was digging a circular mound that has a tomb and a chamber with wooden sides.

Wednesday June 29thI worked with Bill mapping khirigsuurs and mounds and standing stones (139 points – part of the same data set as noted in 28 June). I had lots of good hiking around the canyons. At Bill’s current dig, he and the students were trying to figure out what the tiny rectangular boxes were for. I suggested that it could possibly be twin premature babies that had died in child birth. Because we had so much rain, lots of purple and lavender flowers were covering the hills, and the pastures were looking greener as well.

Thursday June 30thToday was our second “off” day. Clouds of mosquitoes rolled in and fortunately, the repellant worked well. Bill and I went for a long hike along the northwestern lake shore looking for past habitation. We did not have much success (16 points), but it was a nice walk. Thunderstorms rolled through at the end of the day. Meanwhile, like other times, I heard cuckoo birds calling in the forested hills across the lake.

Friday July 1stAnother cold wind was blowing this morning. Bill’s group started a new dig and Bayaraa’s group is unearthing a horse skeleton. I had no luck finding any directional stones among the glacial rocks and boulders this morning, so I came back to camp and worked on the PC in the afternoon. One new addition to the camp is a cute five year-old girl who is the daughter of one of our cooks and one of our drivers. Bayaraa gave a talk that night on old Mongolian royal Xiongnu culture that had tombs 16 meters deep. I called and talked with Wanda, Robyn and my mother tonight before they left to go to my nephew’s wedding.

Saturday July 2ndI hiked east near the lake in a zigzag pattern recording several hundred points while putting in about 20km. I met and greeted people on horseback and motorcycle along the way, and was visited twice by four gentlemen in a jeep (Figure 127). I showed each my map book to point out what was being mapped. On the way back, I had to wade through a stream without shoes to get to the jeep since Bill and Jagaa came to pick me up. That night, Andrew did some magic tricks for the cook’s daughter after supper.Fig. 127: Four visitors who came twice to check out my work

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Sunday July 3rdIt was cold this morning with fresh snow in the nearby mountains. Most of us went to a local Naadam festival today. Previously, a concern arose about too much drinking by our students or others in the crowd at the festival, but it turned out to be no problem at all. Three of our people (Bayaraa, Luke and a Mongolian student) entered the wrestling tournament, but only Bayaraa made it to the second round. For the horse race, the children rode bare back. That night, it was cold enough that I wore my winter hat to bed.

Monday July 4thMore snow fell in the mountains over night and a very strong cold wind came in the morning so two shirts and two coats with a winter hat were needed. Bayaraa called his wife today and found out that she had a baby boy. I was glad to let him use my satellite phone. I worked on sites north of B2 (149 points) in the morning and worked on my databases in the afternoon. After supper, the governor of the province visited us and asked some questions concerning rumors that we had unearthed skulls of “big head” people, and that we had two helicopters take a lot of stuff (presumably valuable) away to America. Then this evening, we got hit by a sleet storm and the nearby hills got snow.

Tuesday July 5thThe starry sky was beautiful when I woke up in the middle of the night. Ice was all over the tent when the sun came up. The cloudless day that greeted us was cool and breezy but no storms. First I did some relational mapping between khirigsuurs and rock art for Richard on B2 (28 points), then I went looking for archaeological sites on the B2 outwash plain to the west for Bill, which created a lot of questions. I met a sheep and goat herder and showed him my map book to explain my work. In the afternoon, I headed east along the shore and mapped some rock art and archaeological features. I was surprised that it got warm enough to take a shower. That night, Richard gave a presentation on rock art and archaeology in the area.

Wednesday July 6thI went field mapping around Biluut 4 again and some exposed bedrock caught my eye that was a few hundred meters up. So I climbed the hill and discovered new rock art (8 points) this morning. In the afternoon, I plotted 10 points for Richard and then went on my way. Unfortunately, I slipped off a rock into the creek so I took rest of the afternoon off while watching the students backfill a dig as my boot dried. While there, a boy arrived on a horse to deliver two bottles of creamed tea to everyone at the site – a nice gift from the local ger.

Thursday July 7thI walked around the area near Bill’s new dig finding standing stones (Figure 128) and mounds while hiking through herds of goats and sheep. The wind was rough today and I had trouble keeping my veiled hat on. Jagaa went home today to Fig. 128: Large standing stone in a pasture over 1km north

of Biluut 2 at 2115m elevation; 597605.07, 5392543.24.


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Ulgii. He was missed by all immediately because he is so friendly and helpful. We had fresh fish for supper caught by Bayaraa and some of the Mongolian students. In the evening, we endured another strong thunderstorm, and fortunately the tents held up.

Friday July 8thI worked on my laptop in the morning, and after lunch, I mapped some panel lines for Richard on B1 (33 points), followed by some more database work.

Saturday July 9thI went with Bill to the east end of Lake Khoton to show him places that I found while hiking. He and his students decided to dig at a couple of khirigsuurs. In the afternoon, they excavated a deer stone while I was up in the nearby hills plotting a number of ethnographic features, adding those points to those collected on 2 July.

Sunday July 10thThis morning, I hiked with Bill to show him some of the features that I found the day before. He realized that we need an ethnographer to figure out much that and in order to decipher the ancient cultural activities. Meanwhile, Bayaraa and his team re-erected the deer stone that Bill excavated the day before. That afternoon, the Mongolian students caught ~30 fish so supper with fish was no surprise. I finished the day on a short hike up B1 with Bill and had some good talks.

Monday July 11thThis was our last full day at Lake Khoton, so we went on an excursion to the east of the lake and saw a lot of standing stones, man stones, bal-bals, and khirigsuurs. Then, Bayaraa decided to take us to a local wedding festival to find the park ranger so that our exit forms would be filled out. While at the festival, we were all invited into a lovely Kazakh ger for refreshments of white tea and sweets. And then we watched the Muslim wedding, where everyone was joyous, except for the couple getting married (who are required to be serious). Meanwhile, we were served airag (fermented mare’s milk). When we got back to camp, I finished my work on the laptop, and then took my first swim in the lake – and woke up quick!

Tuesday July 12thWe packed up this morning and headed towards Ulgii. Out van overheated a few times and our driver helped a family who had problems with their jeep, which added to our time on the trail, but everything seemed normal nonetheless. Once we arrived back in Ulgii at Blue Wolf Travel, I was able to take a hot shower, which was lovely. And we finally got to sleep on beds: a luxury.

Wednesday July 13thI had a good night’s sleep. I talked with Wanda this morning and bought her a Kazakh purse. I was able to view my email for the first time in weeks, and subsequently deleted about 1000 messages. We went over to the local museum, but it was closed for the holiday week. So we walked back and felt hot later in the afternoon, which was a strange experience given our lives in the Altai. That night, we had barking dogs and a fancy light display on the local radio tower to lull us to sleep.

Thursday July 14thThis day we flew from Ulgii to UB. We had to get to the Ulgii airport early since the president of Mongolia was coming to visit. Fortunately, we didn’t have to worry about rush hour in Ulgii. Note


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that while landing in Ulgii, planes have a paved runway, but for taking off, we used an unpaved runway. Flying over the countryside, we all noticed how much greener everything was compared to when we first arrived. In UB, we all went back to Zaya’s hostel to settle in for a couple of days.

Friday July 15th Today was a museum day. First we went to the National History Museum, where we viewed the Chingis Khan exhibit and other exhibits on the country’s history. We also visited Bayaraa at his office in the museum. Later, Dave Edwards and I walked over to the Natural History Museum, which was disappointing since it is so poorly funded: there were open windows, poor lighting, improper animal and paleontological reconstructions, etc.

Saturday July 16th I walked over to the Buddhist monastery in the morning – mixture of beauty, faith, spirituality, poverty, and hope for the future. In the afternoon, Bill and I went with four anthropologists to visit Jack Weatherman (author of several Genghis Khan books) who is retired and living in UB.

Sunday July 17thFlight to Washington DC via Seoul, South Korea. During the trip, I looked over two recent books that Bill acquired on deer stones in Mongolia and archeology in Newfoundland. Overall, I collected over 2000 GPS points of data including points for ground control, khirigsuurs, burial mounds, standing stones, man stones, deer stones, petroglyphs,

Fig. 129: 2011 Field mapping collection localities and archaeological dig sites. Red dots indicate GPS collec-tion sites, yellow dots indicate Archaeological dig sites (some fall outside image area). Contour interval is at 15m.


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bal-bals and other directional stone alignments (Figure 129). I followed up the data collection with post-processing both in the field and back in the office. Analyses of sites in relation to aspect and slope were not conclusive for the petroglyphs since the ancient artists opportunistically made use of any rock surface that had the desirable sheen available for pecking or scratching (Figures 130 and 131). Structural features, on the other hand, were typically found in areas of low slope. Future analyses of these data, plus any spatial/temporal data collected by Richard and Bill, of clustering, distance, direction (these maps depict possible alignments of archaeological features with geographical elements) may reveal some spatial planning by the ancient cultures in question during the different time periods and cultures (Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Pazyryk and Turkic cultures).

Fig. 130: Localities in relation to aspect: North (red), East (yellow), S (cyan), W (blue). While most archaeological sites trended to S and W, the aspect of the petroglyphs were found to be more dependant on location of suitable exposed rock sheen.

Fig. 131: A significant majority of the archaeological features are found in relatively flat slope areas, whereas the petroglyphs can be found on virtu-ally any degree of slope. Green indicates flat slope, continuous to red (very steep).


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Fig. 132: Directional stonework in the valley between B1 and B2 may align with the peak on Biluut 2. (Shown in red).

Fig. 133: Alignment of the axes of a spoked khirigsuur, as well as the alignment of several burial mounds in a row may point to distant peaks. (Shown in yellow).


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PART VII1

Ethnographic Research: Interethnic Relationships among Tuvans and Mongols

Darkhad, Northern Mongolia

Ts. AyushIn collaboration with the joint Mongolian-American “Deer Stone” project, I conducted several eth-nographic field studies among reindeer people living in the western part of Khovsgol Lake. This re-search concerns ethnic relationships and mixed marriage among Mongol and reindeer-Tuvan people using the field research material of 2009. The statistic material for mixed marriage was collected from government officials of Tsagaan Nuur suum and well as interviews with senior citizens of Tuva and Mongolia living in the suum center and the surrounding countryside.

The ethnic group composition of Mongolia largely ethnic Mongol. It consists of three major groups; Mongol, Tureg, and Khamnigan (Tunguus). The non-Mongol ethnic groups comprise of small frac-tion of the population, only 4%.2 In the Tureg group there are two major groups, the Kazakhs and Tuvans (Uighur). One group of Tuvan origin lives in an area of Western Mongolia known as Bayan Ulgii Aimag. The second group lives in Northern Mongolia, around Khovsgol Lake, living side-by-side with Mongol ethnic groups.3 Therefore the Khovsgol Lake region presents a specific charac-teristic of interethnic relationship. Although the Tuva-Uighur people living near the lake are of the same origin, their livelihood is different. The Tuva people of the western side of the lake herd rein-deer, while others are involved in herding livestock, and the later generation has taken to the Mongo-lian lifestyle. However, some of the specific cultural traditions are not ignored. It is safe to conclude that research has not fully been conducted on the ethnic Tureg, a minor group of the Tureg language speaking people.

The “Reindeer”, or Tuva-Uighur people, of Khovsgol Lake are one of the groups of taiga region of Eastern Sayan Mountains of the Russian Tuva Republic. The history of the citizenship of the Rein-deer People living in Mongolia is quite complex. They were included in the Mongolian citizen popu-lation in the 1950’s. Until 1980, they were within the jurisdiction of Ulaan Uul and Rinchenlhumbe suum where the majority of Darkhad-Mongol people live. But a small portion of Tuvans settled in the Khankh and Bayanzurkh suums. These reindeer people call themselves Duhaa, especially of those of Uighur descent. The term “Duhaa” is almost forgotten today. They traditionally refer to themselves as Uighur, and Mongolian people in the neighborhood also consider them to be of Ui-ghur origin. This statement was derived from the work of J. Tseveen, a researcher whose citation was mentioned earlier in 1934.

Today, Tuva-Uighur “Reindeer People” inhabit the western and eastern parts of the Tsagaan Nuur suum. Tsagaan Nuur suum, founded in 1985, has two of the smallest administration units known as Baga. One of the Baga includes the people of the suum, and the other Baga covers the herdsmen of reindeer and livestock. The reindeer-herding people are mostly of Tuva-Uighur origin, and some also

1. This report from our previous field project in Khovsgol Aimag was not available at the time of production for our 2009 field report and is included here even though it lies outside our 2011 project area. (W. Fitzhugh).


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live in the suum center. The current population of the suum is about 1500, comprised of 386 families.

According to the information given by the head administrator of Baga 2, there are 212 families involved in herding reindeer and other livestock. Of these there are 48 mixed-marriage families; marriages between Tuvan and Mongol people. In general Tuvan men are more likely to be married to Mongol women. For instance, 29 out of the total 48 marriages consist of Tuvan men married to Mongol women, while 19 are Mongol men married to Tuvan women.

In the suum center, there are 174 families, which includes 52 mixed-married families. Of these, 31 consist of Tuvan men married to Mongol women, and the remaining 21 families are of Mongol women married to Tuvan men. Taking into account the whole suum, 100 families out of 386 are of mixed marriage. This is a substantial number. The ethnic heritage of children born to mixed families takes after the father. For example, if the father is Tuvan, then the child would have the father’s lin-eage, or when a child’s father is Mongol-Darkhad, then he or she would follow the Mongol tradition. One new trend from the children of these mixed marriages is the second generation mixed marriage. There are many couples from previous-generation mixed marriages. Out of 52 mixed-marriage cou-ples living in the suum center, 24 have already married into mixed marriages, showing the dynamic development of the new age. The above-mentioned statistic of mixed marriages is limited only to the Tsagaan Nuur suum. According to information gathered orally, many young people residing in other suums or in the cities have a tendency to adopt mixed marriage.

The question remains as to when the mixed marriages between Tuva and Mongol people began. From interviews obtained from elderly people, this was observed from the middle of the last century, where one or two such a cases were found. But it could be said these were not “free will” marriages. Judging from the research material, the ethnic relationship between Tuva and Mongol people in-tensified in the mid 1950’s. This is likely related to the granting of Mongolian citizenship to Tuva-Reindeer people and the carrying out of several significant social projects by the government of

Mongolia, such as “Founding of Reindeer People village,” “the Tsagaan Nuur Fish Factory,” and “Administration Reform.” From the oral information gathered from elders, in 1956 the Reindeer People were granted citizenship in Mongolia. Mongo-lia then offered settlements to the Western Reindeer People in Ulaan Uul suum and Eastern Taiga Reindeer People in Rinchenl-humbe suum, respectively, considering their traditional livelihood. During the “collective movement” in the 1950’s in Mongolia, the Reindeer People had no choice but to follow the Mongol herdsmen in giving most of their

herds to the collective association. In 1960’s the number of families registered were 62. 13 families were listed in the western taiga that herd reindeer on regular basis, and 20 families were listed in the eastern taiga.4 This number remains the same today. Granting citizenship and a place to live has offered them one of the most important opportunities to engage in political, economic and cultural activities. One of the significant projects the Mongolian government implemented was the construc-tion of a Reindeer People Village in the suum centers. In the beginning of 1960, wooden houses and

Fig. 134: A house built for the ‘Reindeer People’


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elementary schools for Reindeer People were built in the Rinchenlhumbe and Ulaan-Uul suums. In the mid 1950’s, the first fish factory was built at Tsagaan Nuur, where fish were found in plenty. In this small factory, young Tuvan men and women worked together with Mongol people. The fac-tory operated until the collapse of socialist system in Mongolia in the 1990’s. Along with the fishing factory, many houses, an elementary school including a dormitory for students, a small bakery, bath house, etc. were constructed for the benefit of workers. The wooden houses were allotted to the head of the family, and built as double residential quarters for two families. The living quarters provided comfortable working and living conditions for the young men and women working at fish factory in the suum center. This also provided chances to bring young people of different cultures together and gave way to mixed marriages. The other step was administration reform, which brought the Tuvan people into a single suum administration. In 1985, the fishing industry of Tsagaan Nuur was enlarged to a fishing and hunting enterprise. Tuvans of the western taiga were moved from the Ulaan Uul suum to Tsagaan Nuur suum. The distance between these two suums is about 200km. The new orga-nization offered the Tuvans an opportunity to communicate with each other and acquaint themselves with new people.

The social change and activities of the new settlement policy no doubt had specific influence in the interethnic relationship between Reindeer-Tuva and Mongolian people. The Tuvans were given opportunities to visit the suum center, work together along with Mongols, enroll their children in school, and participate in any public events. In other words, Tsagaan Nuur suum had become the central focus of the environment. From the mid-1950’s, many young Tuvan men and women aged 17-18 worked together with Mongols in the fishing industry. The practice of fishing comes from the ancient times, and having no other source of income other than their few reindeer could have been the main reason for Tuvan people to pursue work in the fishing industry. It was found from the research that young men working at the fish factory started family ties with Mongol women.

The following is a transcript of my interview with Mr. Sh. Sodov, a Tuvan who used to work at the fish factory, and married a Darkhad woman. This conver-sation describes the mixed marriage of two genera-tions.

“I’m 70 years old, of Tuva-Soyon ethnicity. I lived in the eastern taiga and worked in the fishing industry from the age of 17, and later in the hunter’s work-ing group. In the fish industry, there were about 20 Tuva (Uighur) and Darkhad people. My mother and uncle were given house to live in the Reindeer [peoples’] Village. My mother lived in the suum center for few years and returned back to the taiga. She came back however due to her failing health and died. My mother never learned Mongolian language. She used to have in her possession a few reindeer that were looked after by neighbors. Of the seven of us children, only four are still living. One brother married a Darkhad woman, two sisters Darkhad-Mongol men, and one sister a Khalkha Mongol. I married in 1966, my wife is 65 years old, and she is of Darkhad (Ulaan Khuular) ethnic origin. She knows the Tuva language a little. She also used to work at the fish factory. My children know some Tuva language. In my younger days, there was no such thing as wedding ceremony, which is practiced nowadays. I lived with my wife in the living quarter that my uncle owned. During

Fig. 135: Sh. Sodov, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife Kh. Puntsagjav, of Darkhad ethnicity


128

that time, when the couple tied the knot, the groom’s side would provide the ger. Today both sides of the couple’s families arrange dwellings and other necessities. When my wife and I started living together, the administration gave us bed linen and blankets as a gift. After a year, we made a visit to our extended families. We have 9 children, now 8 living, according to tradition they are registered as Tuva-Uighur origin. Six of my children are married. Two daughters married to Khalkha Mongol, one daughter to Darkhad-Mongol, and one daughter to Tuva man. Two sons have Darkhad wives. They all live here. In 1990, my wife and I retired, during privatization, and we were given a few livestock. Living by herding livestock, we had 40 cattle, 400 sheep and about 30 horses. We sold them out to put our children through school and college.”

Another example of a mixed marriage family is of a Darkhad-Mongol woman named Ch. Battur, who was married to a Tuvan man. The following is a transcript of her interview:

“I am 70 years old. My husband’s name is Orosbai, and he’s from the Uraad race of Tuva. I’m from Tsagaan Khuular of Darkhad ethnicity. I herded livestock until 19 years old, lived near Tsagaan Nuur, and met with my husband. He, my husband, went to see my parents telling them his wish to marry me. My parents did not object to his proposal. We were married in 1969 and followed my hus-band to the fishing industry, later joining school. At the fishing factory, I used to clean fish, salt them, and canned. The production unit was located not far from the industry where 20 women worked. The majority of workers were Tuva-Uighur ethnic people. My husband was the first who worked at the fishing industry. My husband’s sister was given a house in the Reindeer People village. We lived in her cottage. In winter of 1969, my husband came to my house and brought me here. My siblings came with us as attendants from my side. His sister greeted us and arranged a small party. The sister returned back to taiga. We have 11 children, 7 are married. Five sons married to Darkhad women, and one son took a Tuva wife. One daughter married a Darkhad man. Two sons are in Ulaanbaatar working, two at the Army base, and two other sons herd livestock in the countryside. The girls work at the suum center. I cannot fluently speak in Tuva language but understand what I learned from listening to Tuva women working at the fish factory.”

A similar example of a Tuvan man married to a Mongol Darkhad woman is the story of Ts. Sanji, age 64 (2009). According to the interview, he is of Balgish Tuva ethnicity, born in Tuva, and came to Mongolia when he was 5-6 years old. He started school in Khankh suum at age 12, later 2 years of school in Rinchenlhumbe suum, then after 4th grade, left school. Before attending school he used to look after neighbors’ livestock, which was common practice during that time, as he was also poor. At 17, he started working at the fishing industry.

“My family herded reindeer in the eastern taiga. In 1961, construction of the reindeer people vil-

lage in Tsagaan Nuur was almost complete. On the northern side of lake, 10 wooden houses in three rows were built. The first two were living quarters for families and the last row houses the school. The reindeer people lived there in houses. My father received one such a house, and they lived in the

Fig. 136: Ts. Sanji, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife Sh. Nansalma, of Darkhad Mongol ethnicity


129

house during winter and returned back to the taiga in spring. I married in 1969. My wife’s name is Nansalmaa, age 57, and is of Darkhad (Sharnuud) ethnicity. She used to work as a cook in school. They lived in my father’s house. At that time a wedding ceremony was not common. He knows Tuva language, and his wife a little, but the children have no knowledge of Tuva language. They have 4 children, and as their father is of Uighur-Tuva ethnicity, the children are registered as Uighur. Two sons are married to Khalkha Mongol women, and one lives in Murun (about 350km away) and the other in Rashaant suum (about 400km). One son has Darkhad wife living in Central Aimag (700km), the other youngest is a herder.”

During this field expedition, information was collected from 9 families, but not all can be included in the cur-rent report. The last report on a mixed marriage includ-ed here is of a Tuvan man, Mr. L. Jajuur, now age 70 (2009) and married to a Darkhad woman. According to his interview, he was born in Tuva in 1941 and came to Mongolia in 1949. It was after World War II, he was poverty stricken, and it was difficult time to live. He was permitted to move to Mongolia. His grandmother was born in Khogorgin Gol, Mongolia, before came here to live. His father, Tuva-born in 1910, moved here, worked as security guard, and later died. In 1961, the Reindeer People village was complete. There were

18 houses, and his father and uncle lived in one such house. He worked at the dairy farm. He was drafted into the army, and after his release from the army service at age 21, he started to work in the fishing industry. Most of the workers were Tuva-Uighur and Darkhad people. The fish were trans-ported through the northern harbor of Khovsgol Lake to Russia. He married at age 22 to a Darkhad woman named Yanjmaa, now age 63 (2009). During that time his wife lived with her mother breed-ing livestock in Khamain Gol, not far from the fishing industry.

“After dating one year we were married. We have three daughters and two sons. Two of the daugh-ters got married to Sartuul Mongol and Darkhad ethnic men, and one to a Tuvan. The oldest son is married to Tuvan woman. The youngest is single.”

Jajuur also provided us with interesting in-formation about a song composed during that time. The song’s lyrics represent the new life-style of that time, the new fishing industry, the village for Reindeer People, and the interethnic relations between Tuva-Uighur and Mongol people. The song was about the life of a small social circle.

In the green weeds of the lake When paddling a boat Dreamed came A fisherman Asked for her hand in marriage

Fig. 137: L. Jajuur’s Tuvan birth certificate, 1941

Fig. 138: L. Jajuur, of Tuvan ethnicity, and his wife S. Yanjima, of Darkhad-Mongolian ethnicity


130

Found a job at Tsagaan Nuur In the village of Reindeer People Prepared to brew tea The fish and the duck Swim in the same pond The milk maid and fisherman Will live together with same thought Out from the water Worked in the fishing spot In the cottage of Uighur village About to make lemonade Taking into account the above documentation, mixed marriages among young people are becoming more common. They are not only limited to Tuva, Darkhad, and Mongol, but spreading among other ethnic groups. The issues of mixed marriage have not been fully studied in Mongolia. In some of the works concerning interrelations of Western Mongolian (Bayan Ulgii Aimag) and Tuvan (Shinjian) of China, it was mentioned that Mongol and Kazakh were frequently chosen as mar-riage partners among Tuvan people. But these mixed marriage relations consisted of a very small percentage of the total population.5 In Northern Mongolia, especially around Khovs-gol Lake, there were no restrictions regarding traditional customs such as religion, language or lifestyle among Tuva and Mongol people. This is be-cause of living in neighboring districts for many hundreds of years. Tuvan people know Mongolian language, follow shamanic religion, and Darkhad people believe in shamanism as well as Buddhism. There were some obstacles in reindeer farming regions of Tuva in regards to specific cultures. To overcome those obstacles, the above mentioned projects of the Reindeer People Village, Settlement, and Fish Factory no doubt produced significant results. But during the market economy in the 1990’s the fish factory was closed down. The people who worked in there, especially the Tuvan people, were either transferred to other jobs or moved to the countryside herding livestock. They did not return to the taiga. With no reindeer to herd, they completely abandoned reindeer farming and ap-proached a new era.

What is the result of interethnic relationships in Northern Mongolia upon the society? According to our understanding, marriage and the family is the micro model, the first micro environment of the society. Although the trend of mixed marriage is limited to only a small community of the region, it is safe to say that the practice has specific influence in the development of social-ethnic relations, tra-ditional lifestyle, and cultural life of that particular region. According to my research, from all mixed

Fig. 139: Remains of fish factory house on the mouth of the Khodorgo River, photo taken in 2007


131

families only 10% are actively practicing reindeer farming in the taiga. The remaining 90% are living outside of the taiga, involved in herding other livestock and living in Mongolian gers in the regions of Kharmai, Khogorgo, Shargin Gol and surrounding areas. Some are living in suum centers. In other words, from the outcome of interethnic relationships, the practice of herding livestock has increased, with more value on effective productivity. There are considerable changes in the lifestyles of families living in the taiga. For the past years the number of people spending winter in the taiga has diminished. This was observed mostly in the western taiga. In 2006 only three families passed the winter in the taiga.6 Others spent the winter season living near the suum center in Mongolian ger dwellings, in small wooden houses, and in traditional tent dwellings. These people return back to the taiga when spring comes. This trend is increasing, introducing Mongol cattle pasturing into their traditional reindeer breeding practice. Other factors are likely also responsible, such as easy access to schooling for children, convenience of food supply, and participating in other cultural activities.

References:2. Mongolian Population in XX century. P. 367. Ulaanbaatar. 2003.3. J. Tseveen. The Origin of Darkhad, Khovsgol Lake’s Uriankhai, Durved, Khoton, Bayad, Uuld, Myangad, Zakh-chin, Torguud. Khoshuud, Dariganga, Altai Mountain Uriankhai, Kazakh, and Khamnigan People. 1934. Collection of research works. p. 118-119. Ulaanbaatar: 1997. S. Badamkhatran. Way of Life of the Reindeer People of Khovsgol Lake. p. 3. Ulaanbaatar: 1962. Potapov, L. Traditional Ways of Life of Tuvans. p. 78. Moscow: 1969. Ethnography of Mongo-lia. Vol. II. p. 274. Ulaanbaatar: 1996. Mongush, M. Tuvans of Mongolia and China. p. 14-15. Novosibirsk: 2002. 4. Badamkhatan, S. Way of Life Reindeer People of Khovsgol Lake. P. 3. Ulaanbaatar: 1962.5. Mongush, M. One People, Three fates: Tuvans of Russia, Mongolia and China in Comparative Perspective. p. 282, 285-286. Osaka: 2010.6. Ts. Ayush. Field research report on “Deer stone” joint project in Khovsgol Aimag in 2006. (Ethnographic part) p. 14-15. 2006. The Library of the National Museum of Mongolia.


132

Site

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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lkal

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40 +

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BP

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6 °/

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2240

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30 B

PC

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340

(Cal

BP

2340

to 2

150)

F1 h

earth

cha

rcoa

l30

6033

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acid

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108

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900

(Cal

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ple

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6041

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BC

187

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185

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38

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105

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side

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Cal

BC

165

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150

0 (C

al B

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00 to

345

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Site

2)

(cha

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Cor

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truct

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al B

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130

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30 B

P -2

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28

30 +

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2720

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30 B

P -2

3.0

°/oo

27

50 +

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Hea

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: cha

rcoa

l30

6039

(cha

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l):

acid

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BC

970

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al B

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290

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al

BC

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al B

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90 to

277

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3600

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36

40 +

/- 40

BP

3450

+/-

30 B

P -2

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°/oo

34

80 +

/- 30

BP

3390

+/-

30 B

P -2

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34

30 +

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BP

3240

+/-

30 B

P -2

1.2

°/oo

33

00 +

/- 30

BP

2820

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30 B

P -1

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29

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BP

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BP

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3 °/

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tract

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alk

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2920

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133

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Shee

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3060

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: col

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n ex

tract

ion:

with

alk

ali

2140

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8.6

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22

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BP

Cal

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Hor

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: col

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tract

ion:

w

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BP

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5 °/

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2070

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PC

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30

(Cal

BP

2120

to 1

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Hor

se to

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w

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BP

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5 °/

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2070

+/-

30 B

PC

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30

(Cal

BP

2120

to 1

980)

Cha

rcoa

l30

6036

(cha

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mat

eria

l):

acid

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ali/a

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33

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BP

Cal

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165

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150

0 (C

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BP

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3 °/

oo

3430

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to 1

850

(Cal

BP

3820

to

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BC

178

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167

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w

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BP

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7 °/

oo

1410

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30 B

PC

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BP

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to 1

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2760

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BP

-21.

3 °/

oo

2820

+/-

40 B

P C

al B

C 1

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to 9

00 (C

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P 30

30 to

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ly

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1450

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30 B

P -2

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°/oo

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/- 30

BP

1270

+/-

30 B

P -1

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14

10 +

/- 30

BP

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0 B

P -1

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(toot

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134

Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Bilu

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Eas

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char

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3060

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ial):

ac

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lkal

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/- 30

BP

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oo

2830

+/-

30 B

PC

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10 (C

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286

0)

Hea

rth 7

: cha

rcoa

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6039

(cha

rred

mat

eria

l):

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/alk

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2720

+/-

30 B

P -2

3.0

°/oo

27

50 +

/- 30

BP

Cal

BC

970

to 9

60 (C

al B

P 29

20 to

290

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al

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20 (C

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277

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Cow

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extra

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n:

with

alk

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pM

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ral s

truct

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char

coal

3060

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ial):

ac

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lkal

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/- 40

BP

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3 °/

oo

3640

+/-

40 B

PC

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900

(Cal

BP

4080

to 3

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(for

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38(b

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colla

gen)

: col

lage

n ex

tract

ion:

with

alk

ali

840

+/- 3

0 B

P -1

9.8

°/oo

930

+/

- 30

BP

Cal

AD

103

0 to

117

0 (C

al B

P 92

0 to

780

)St

one

Box

es si

te (f

orm

erly

B

iluut

3-2

0)

Cha

rcoa

l30

6043

(cha

rred

mat

eria

l):

acid

/alk

ali/a

cid

3450

+/-

30 B

P -2

3.0

°/oo

34

80 +

/- 30

BP

Cal

BC

189

0 to

174

0 (C

al B

P 38

40 to

369

0)H

illsi

de si

te

2820

+/-

30 B

P -1

7.7

°/oo

29

40 +

/- 30

BP

Cal

BC

126

0 to

104

0 (C

al B

P 32

10 to

299

0)

Cha

rcoa

l30

6042

(cha

rred

mat

eria

l):

acid

/alk

ali/a

cid

1450

+/-

30 B

P -2

3.0

°/oo

14

80 +

/- 30

BP

Cal

AD

540

to 6

40 (C

al B

P 14

10 to

131

0)St

one

man

site

(for

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ly

Bilu

ut 2

-4)

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tinue

d)

Hum

an b

one

3084

76(b

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colla

gen)

: col

lage

n ex

tract

ion:

with

alk

ali

2920

+/-

30 B

P -1

8.4

°/oo

30

30 +

/- 30

BP

Cal

BC

139

0 to

121

0 (C

al B

P 33

40 to

316

0)B

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l

Hum

an p

hala

nge:

Sa

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e 3

3060

37(b

one

colla

gen)

: col

lage

n ex

tract

ion:

with

alk

ali


135

Appendix II

Khoton Project 2011GPS Data and Map

William Fitzhugh

Datum: WGS 84Waypoint Date Latitude/Longitude Elevation1 06-JUN-11 9:46:13PM N48 39.074 E88 19.076 7187 ft2 06-JUN-11 9:47:08PM N48 39.078 E88 19.089 7231 ft8 12-JUN-11 11:44:06PM N48 39.330 E88 19.501 6855 ft26 13-JUN-11 4:11:28AM N48 39.408 E88 19.386 6876 ft27 13-JUN-11 4:13:16AM N48 39.421 E88 19.386 6876 ft28 13-JUN-11 4:24:32AM N48 39.460 E88 19.406 6889 ft29 13-JUN-11 4:34:01AM N48 39.476 E88 19.365 6891 ft30 13-JUN-11 4:37:11AM N48 39.480 E88 19.368 6891 ft31 13-JUN-11 4:39:41AM N48 39.485 E88 19.357 6887 ft32 13-JUN-11 4:51:41AM N48 39.453 E88 19.429 6886 ft33 13-JUN-11 4:55:13AM N48 39.416 E88 19.487 6885 ft34 13-JUN-11 5:01:41AM N48 39.395 E88 19.499 6877 ft35 13-JUN-11 5:06:12AM N48 39.392 E88 19.520 6879 ft36 13-JUN-11 5:11:51AM N48 39.368 E88 19.534 6870 ft37 14-JUN-11 9:00:44PM N48 39.278 E88 19.445 6945 ft38 14-JUN-11 10:40:10PM N48 39.348 E88 19.510 6866 ft39 15-JUN-11 4:45:15AM N48 39.631 E88 19.713 7187 ft40 18-JUN-11 4:22:56AM N48 39.631 E88 19.710 6879 ft41 20-JUN-11 3:20:21AM N48 44.259 E88 08.756 6881 ft42 20-JUN-11 4:21:43AM N48 39.096 E88 22.057 6969 ft43 20-JUN-11 4:23:13AM N48 39.101 E88 22.053 6982 ft44 20-JUN-11 4:53:43AM N48 39.289 E88 21.585 6969 ft45 20-JUN-11 4:53:43AM N48 39.289 E88 21.585 6969 ft46 20-JUN-11 5:10:52AM N48 39.714 E88 21.364 7018 ft47 20-JUN-11 5:11:09AM N48 39.714 E88 21.366 7014 ft48 20-JUN-11 5:11:10AM N48 39.714 E88 21.366 7015 ft49 20-JUN-11 5:29:58AM N48 39.166 E88 21.594 6929 ft50 24-JUN-11 9:08:44PM N48 39.138 E88 21.603 6967 ft51 24-JUN-11 9:09:26PM N48 39.138 E88 21.602 6968 ft52 24-JUN-11 9:09:38PM N48 39.138 E88 21.602 6970 ft53 24-JUN-11 9:20:52PM N48 39.087 E88 21.896 6989 ft54 24-JUN-11 9:30:07PM N48 39.029 E88 21.983 6942 ft


136

55 24-JUN-11 9:38:03PM N48 38.974 E88 22.033 6945 ft56 24-JUN-11 9:49:36PM N48 38.973 E88 21.845 6892 ft57 24-JUN-11 10:00:49PM N48 38.914 E88 21.986 6918 ft58 24-JUN-11 10:34:04PM N48 39.023 E88 22.105 6970 ft59 25-JUN-11 3:59:15AM N48 39.101 E88 22.060 6968 ft60 25-JUN-11 4:08:45AM N48 39.120 E88 22.130 7008 ft61 25-JUN-11 4:15:44AM N48 39.124 E88 22.173 7038 ft62 25-JUN-11 4:25:07AM N48 39.029 E88 22.119 6985 ft63 25-JUN-11 4:34:12AM N48 38.866 E88 22.231 6896 ft64 25-JUN-11 12:37:30AM N48 38.866 E88 22.231 6917 ft65 25-JUN-11 12:44:31AM N48 38.706 E88 22.305 6885 ft66 25-JUN-11 12:46:02AM N48 38.704 E88 22.316 6890 ft67 25-JUN-11 12:47:28AM N48 38.696 E88 22.314 6889 ft68 25-JUN-11 12:48:54AM N48 38.697 E88 22.301 6889 ft69 25-JUN-11 12:51:40AM N48 38.663 E88 22.306 6879 ft70 25-JUN-11 12:57:11AM N48 38.665 E88 22.298 6899 ft71 25-JUN-11 1:54:37AM N48 38.918 E88 21.979 6941 ft72 27-JUN-11 9:46:53PM N48 39.137 E88 21.642 6948 ft73 04-JUL-11 6:29:25AM N48 39.796 E88 20.482 6823 ft


137

GPS

loca

tions

of 2

011

surv

eyin

g an

d si

tes.


138


139

Appendix III

Site ReportsSITE NAME: 701F (RK 323) Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii ( RK 324) Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By

Method Site/Feature Type

Culture Period/Age

GPS Elev. Location VegetationDisturbances

WF/RK Survey Boulder Ring Turkic? NW of Biluut 1N, on a small knoll W of road

Disturbed by recent herding activity.

SITE NAME: 801 Turkic Enclosures (2) Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/RK Survey Ritual Turkic S side of road 20m E of large cracked boulder in center of valley floor.

steppe

SITE NAME: 901 Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/RK/DC Survey Turkic enclosure

Turkic? S of road steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


RK/WF/DC Survey Rock feature, deer stone?

Unknown S of road near area with granite outcrops

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/RK/DC Survey Slab materials

Turkic? Boggy area with clay and disturbed soil. People have dug many pits (looters).

clay boils and boggy surface vegetation

Slabs from looter's pit


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



140

Site Name: 701F (RK 323)

Description Size Artifacts CollectedSamples Collected

Research Potential

Remarks

Partial boulder circle of large rocks and slabs with a boulder ring 1x1.5m diameter to SE. Large flat slabs in ground. Part of 1x1m square slab box with 2 boulders in it.

NoneNone Marmot burrow in center

Site Name: 801 Turkic Enclosures (2)


Research Potential

Remarks

2 Turkic square enclosures edged with vertical slabs, Southern enclosure 3.5x3m oriented 2 E/W. Filled with small cobbles. Fallen slab in cetner of cast edge. Smaller feature 3x3m also filled with cobbles and slab stone pieces. No obvious bal-bals.

NoneNone Yes

Site Name: 901


Research Potential

Remarks

Granite boulder (fallen stone?) in middle of a 1.5x2.0m slate slab inset enclosure. Cluster of partly buried rocks in ground 1m to east.

NoneNone Possible

Site Name: 902


Research Potential

Remarks

Several vertical stones in ground and a possible granite deer stone lying down .70cm on surface. Slanting top but no visible markings.

NoneNone Possible

Site Name: 903


Research Potential

Remarks

Slabs from looter's pit lying N of the deepest looter's pit.

NoneNone Minimal

Site Name: 904


Research Potential

Remarks


141

WF/DC/RK Survey Grave? Unknown 2m S of the road and 20m from where it forks. 3x2m rock feature outlined with boulders and smaller rocks inside.

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/RK/DC Survey 4 Rock Pavements, burials?

Unknown N of road Steppe

SITE NAME: 906 (RK 331, 332, 378) Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Burial Mounds

Pazyryk? N of road about 60m to North 2 large, looted mounds with depressed centers.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Grave pits Unknown N of road ca. 75m steppeThree looter pits

SITE NAME: 908 (RK 11,12) Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Grave? Ritual site?

Bronze? Karasuk according to Tserendagva

On a small ledge high up against the cliff at south side of Biluut 2, overlooking pond below. Extremely exposed and windy location.

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



142

NoneNone A possible burial

Site Name: 905


Research Potential

Remarks

Area 1: 2 clusters of boulders aligned N/S, undisturbed features, about 2m diameter-20m to SE. Two large boulder features N/S, the northern-most with very large rocks, and about 2x3m diam.

Area 2: Southern feature is 4x5m circular or rectangular with smaller boulder scattered throughout internal area.

NoneNone ?

Site Name: 906 (RK 331, 332, 378)


Research Potential

Remarks

2 mounds. Burial area in south end is 2 E/W. Two slate balbals (RK 328) east of south mound. Large, balbal has 3 ibex petro-gylphs on east/ narrow side, 1m high stone. Smaller eastern stone (20m) 5m east of larger stone. Flat sides to N,S

Southern mound 8m diamter; northern, 27m diamter.

NoneNone

Site Name: 907


Research Potential

Remarks

Three looter pits in triangular arrangement each 3-4m apart. Rock cluster to east, east of upper pit, may be another burial.

NoneNone

Site Name: 908 (RK 11,12)


Research Potential

Remarks

2 rectangular pavements, 2 4x3m, with interiors paved with rocks and rubble. Eastern structure is 2.5x3m filled with a few rocks but mostly gravel. Third area is a rough rock pavement up against the front of the ledge, 2 4x4m.

4x3m NoneNone Possible

Site Name: 909


Research Potential

Remarks


143

Biluut Team Survey Rock Features

Unknown N of road in B-2 area uphill from huge boulder

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Rock features Unknown N of road on flat terrace area SW/W of picto Turkic horses. These structures, roughly oval with northern most a clear ring with formed by small upright slabs/rocks and clear center area, 4x5m diameter.

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Standing Stone

Unknown NE of pond on N/E side of road, between road and a large boulder.

steppe

SITE NAME: 912 (RK #7) Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Burial Mounds

Pazyryk? East of road at base of B2 hillslope.

steppedepressed/ looted center


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Square Khirigsuur

Bronze/Deer Stone/Khirigsuur Complex

10m NE of Pasyryk mound, near edge of hillslope

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



144

Cluster of rocks in a linear arrangement with several vertical slabs.

NoneNone ?

Site Name: 910


Research Potential

Remarks

Two possible burial pavements nearer the terrace egde.

NoneNone

Site Name: 911


Research Potential

Remarks

2 sides of a rectangle, with a slate standing stone at SW end. North side has a lying slab (fallen upright?) 1.2m long showing a second lying slab (upright?) on the east side. A flat slab and vertical slab inside the enclosure.

NoneNone possible

Site Name: 912 (RK #7)


Research Potential

Remarks

Stone mound 13m diameter, with depressed/ looted center. Mostly made of small cobbles. A small black standing stone 30cm high at edge of mound. Probably looted.

13m diameter NoneNone No



Research Potential

Remarks

Square Khirigsuur ca 11x12m on sides, with very large fence rocks and central mound coming within 1.2m of the fence. Huge boulder in east side of mound, which is flat, not mounded up. Indented area in south side of mound.

11x12m. Six hearth rings around south side of khirigsuur. All rings have twelve stones.

NoneNone Not much Diagram included.

Site Name: 914


Research Potential

Remarks


145

Biluut Team Survey Deer Stone and standing slabs

Bronze/Deer Stone Complex, Turkic component

On hillslope Sof Khinqsuur and Dazyryk mounds


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



DSK complex, Late Bronze

On terrace just below hillslope steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Burial Mound (looted)

Late Bronze, DSK Component

N end of terrace beneath hillslope

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Burial Turkic On terrace below B-2 hillslope SteppeLooted


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Survey Khirigsuur Unknown Outerrace below B2 hillslope looted


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



146

Small deer stone fine grained granite, with angled top (high end to south), a lightly-pecked brow groove above 3 slash marks, and partly made bolt- 40cm above ground. Several flat-lying slate slabs to the southwest of DS…

And a slate standing slab in a circular boulder ring 4m diameter-some of flat slabs mady have been standing once.

NoneNone Possible Diagram included. Nothing on W, N sides.



Research Potential

Remarks

Square khirigsuur aligned NW/SE with central mound reaching to the fences, which as large stones at the corners. No hearth circles. Three large boulders in cetner of mound. Oriented to SSE

NoneNone hillside, not much

Diagram included.

Site Name: 916


Research Potential

Remarks

Circular khirigsuur with very large fence rocks and center mound that reaches the fence 7m in diamter. Recently looted. 30-40cm high mound.

7m diamter NoneNone No



Research Potential

Remarks

F1. Looted 6m diameter feature with boulder ring and standing slate slabs in interior. F2. Immediately to NE, a boulder group rectangular in shape. F3. 10-boulder ring to NE against hillslope may not be associated with F1, F2. Belongs with 918.

6m diameter NoneNone Possible

Site Name: 918


Research Potential

Remarks

Square Khirisuur with large boulder "pinnacles" at corners. Central mound of cobbles, looted or borrowed central mound. One hearth ring to norht of 12 stones. A larger boulder ring/ square? to NE of hearth ring.

NoneNone hearths (hill)

Diagram included. Large standing stone in center of mound was not present when RK first visited the site. Radials from each corner to mound. Orientation of east wall to SE.

Site Name: 919


Research Potential

Remarks


147

Biluut Team Survey Rock Pavement

Turkic Burial

On terrace E of pond. Steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



Deer Stone/Khirigsuur Complex, LBA

On SE extension to terrace east of pond and south of B2 hill.

Steppe

SITE NAME: Billuut 2-7 Date: 7/7/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Standing stone and structure

Unknown ca .5km north of Stone Man site

SITE NAME: Biluut 1-2 Date: 6/14/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


J.B/W.F Excavation

Burial Pazyryk N48 29.330 E99 19.501

2090 NW of small pond in middle of the B 1-2 valley. Series of six stone pavements oriented N-S magnetic.

grass and steppe herbs

Surface of all structures littered with modern refuse and ash dumps.

WF Survey Burial Turkic? N48 E99 19.509

2093 23M NNE of B.IN Md. 6 grass

WF Survey Burial Turkic? N48 39.348 E99 19.509

2093 23m NNE of B1-2 Grass

RK, WF, DC Survey Rock feature Unknown crosses road running through middle of B1/B2 valley

steppe


148

3m diameter boulder pavement, circular.

3m NoneNone ?

Site Name: 920


Research Potential

Remarks

A very well-made square Khirigsuur with corner pinnacles and a rock-paved inside fence area. The center mound is of fairly large cobbles and about 8m high. There are no obvious hearth rings. Oriented to ESE.

8m high NoneNone Detailed diagram included.

Site Name: Billuut 2-7


Research Potential

Remarks

50 cm high greywacke standing stone in a 1x1m boulder setting, square x section ca 25-30cm on a side, located 1.5m east of a N-S alignement of boulders that may mark the side of a rectanglar structure-however this may be a natural feature.

1x1m Nonenothing seen on surface

Only E and N sides are suggested.

Site Name: Biluut 1-2


Research Potential

Remarks

Six mounds, numbered 1-6 south to north. Mounds 1-4 are round and 6 meters in diameter; and 5 is smaller, ca 2m diameter. Mound 6 is square and borded by slabs slanting in toward center of this mound (possibly Turkic?).

Chain of burrials is 32m long.

Excavated material from Md. 3. Belt hook found in turf by metal detector a meter east of Md 4.

Artifacts, bones, c 14 from excavated Md. 3.

All of these mounds may have been looted in antiquity

This may be a series of commoner Pasyryk graves. Surface rock extend two levels - two layers deep for the maximal pavement, then two levels in the center of mound. See excavation maps.

Round rock pavement, circular shape with a slightly depressed center. Small standing slab at the NW edge of pavement several large schist/ slate slabs flat on ground in the paevement. Modern rubbish all over surface.

NoneNone No obvious sign of looting

WF GPS 30. Quite a large feature. No obvious structure except for rocks concentrated around outside and more gravelly center. No balbals.

Round rock pavement, circular shape with a slightly depressed center. Small standing slab at NW edge of pavement. Several large schist/ slate slabs flat on ground in pavement. Modern rubbish all over surface. No bal-bals.

NoneNone No obvious sign of looting

54 stones in alignment, ca 75 meters, with a gap of 10-15 m in the middle East-West alignment

ca 75 meters NoneNone little to do! Sighting alignment? Property boundary marker?


149


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


W.F Survey Workshop/ quarry

Lower Paleolithic?

N48 39.278 E88 19.445

2117 N side of Bilut 1 around a huge boulder on lower hillside with large tree at base of boulder. About 100m SW of B1-2 Pazyryk site. Good view across Biluut 1-2

Grass, large trees begin 50 m above (south) of site. Hillslope errosion.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Kontum/Tserendagva 2007

Excavation

Burial Unknown NE39 N48 39.621 E88 19.713

2190 200 m W of high western knob of Biluut 2 middle ridge near crest of steppe. 2 simliar small burial features ca 2m diameter. Located slightly below ridge crest in a windy exposed position with a view all around N-W-S.

Steppe grasses

Several rocks have been removed from both mounds in recent times, leaving hollows.

SITE NAME: Biluut 2-6 Date: 7/7/2011 Province: Biluut, Stone Man Site Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


W.F Turkic Unknown N of creek running between B2 and the terrace per camps, about .5km off the road to Aral Tolgoi.

The enclosure for #1 has been deranged and the slab borders were mostly scattered all throughout the box,

Survey Khirigsuur? On SW side of the first big hill N of the plain, about 100 below crest. Why on such a slope?


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Stone Line Unknown Above large Khirigsuur-like feature, to NE on top of he hill on a level area.


150



Research Potential

Remarks

Quartzite flakes and coves eroding from tan soil, especially just above boulder. "Cleaver" was found 6 m. south of boulder top eroding from the bank 2 m east of a marmot hole. Losts of quartzite flakes eroding about 50 cm from surface.

1 cleaver of fine-grained rock (not quartzite). Several other poss. tools of quartzite

None May be a useful site to investigate but hill slope is a problem for excavation

Diagram included. Many quartzite materials in slope debris around and below boulder. A possible quartzite quarry may be located here.



Research Potential

Remarks

2 burial features composed of round cluster of small boulders and cobbles. Mound 1 is western-most of the two and the one we excavated. Mound 2 is 15 m to the E and is made with larger rocks and is round and 3m diamter.

mound 2 is 3m diamter

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

4 standing slabs at east ends of square enclosures roughly 4x4 in size, aligned to .25, with a face on the largest standing stone (southernmost of the 4). Number 2,3 stone uprights have no carvings, and #4 (northernmost) is broken off at the base.

The enclosure for #1 has been deranged and the slab borders were mostly scattered all throughout the box, which like the other units were covered with boulders. #1 was the largest of the 4.

One potsherdYes, bone, charcol

Excavated and mapped fully

19 m wide circle stone feature on a 25-30 slope. Well bounded on the outside by boulders. In center a cleared area surrounded by large slabs on surface - perhaps capstones from a looted burial. A deeply set vertical slab at SE edge of mound.

19 m wide NoneNone A possible Khirigsuur? Probably looted.

Many slabs in the construction. No built-up mound, no hearth rings outside.



Research Potential

Remarks

9m line of boulders, aligned with cirque of hill on south side of h.Khotan opposite our camp. Generall lined in S by E direction.

9m NoneNone


151


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burials Unknown End of peat valley W terrace over looking lake, on a small projection of the terrace toward the lake

SITE NAME: Biluut 3-1A Date: 6/26/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF, DC Survey Burial mound?

Unknown N Side of Peat Valley Creek below high boulder terrace NW of 34-1 reef structure.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Round Khirigsuur

DSKC At the front (W) end of the highest terrace of Canyon Creek Khuiten gol, directly across from herder's cabin

One possible hearth ring to east of Khirigsuur has the look of major derangement/ destruction.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Rock ring Unknown 20m SW of B2-21 at edge of terrace overlooking excellent wet pasture.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Trench Unknown Terrace front S of B3-22 looted



152



Research Potential

Remarks

Two rectangular structures aligned N/S each with an internal oval slab-bordered pavement (a burial) inside the north wall. Structure external wall rocks are spaced about 50-60cm apart. No sign of disturbance.

each 4x4.5m NoneNone Diagram included.

Site Name: Biluut 3-1A


Research Potential

Remarks

2.5-3.5m oval border concentration, in midst of ethnographic camp.

2.5-3.5m NoneNone B3-1 to B3-11 are on the lower terrace on the west side of Peat Valley stream, beneath the tail of B-3.



Research Potential

Remarks

Round Khirigsuur with partial segments of outer ring wall (cannibalized?) made of LARGE boulders. Mound in center (8m diameter) is ringed by inslanting slabs. "Mound" is not filled with rocks only a few large ones and shale deposits.

14m diameter NoneNone B3-11 to B3-20 not assigned. B3-21 to B3-44 are on east side of Khuiten gol, and west/north side of Biluut 3 hill.



Research Potential

Remarks

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Excavated trench paralleling terrace front, with a large in situ boulder in north end. Bermed up edges show where soil has been thrown out. No other rocks or central features present. A smaller circular pit excavated to 8m south.

NoneNone



153

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey 3 mounds Pazyryk On mid-slope 100m from terrace edge 3 rock-filled mounds side-by-side only 1m apart parallel to hillslope. S mound about 7m diameter with rectangular arrangement of large rock in middle, oriented N-S. Rest of mound is composed of cobbles, small slabs.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burial mound Pazyryk? Mid-slope on NE of B3-24


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Slab Feature Turkic Mid-slope, B3 N hillside, western exposure.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Concentration

Unknown 50m SE of B3-1


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Double Mound

Pazyryk 50m E of B3-1 looted?



154


Research Potential

Remarks

Depressed area W of rectangle that leads downslope. Central mound is smaller, with depressed center and is 4m diameter. Northern mound is adjacent, 9m diameter with 60cm depression running E-W downslope.

NoneNone Probably looted.



Research Potential

Remarks

Circular mound with central depression in western part, empty of rocks.

8x10m diameter NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Slab feature of roughly rectangular shape with 2 standing slabs on uphill, eastern side, slightly downslope a linear arrangement of small vertical slabs forming the upper part of a roughly rect. feature with a small 1x1.5m slab enclosure in its center.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Boulder oval 1m in diameter with surrounding clusterd rocks, 6m diameter.

1m diameter NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Two adjacent boulder mounds oriented E-W Northern mound 10 diameters, with flat slabs around edges, depressed center (looted?) Western mound 12m diameter with no separation from E md. Slab lined edges.

NoneNone Both probably looted.



155

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Pavement

Unknown 15m NE of B3-1

SITE NAME: Biluut 3-2B Date: 6/26/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Tent ring Ethnographic

N end of Peat Valley terrace south of tail of B3 hill.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


Biluut Team Excavation

Burial Mound and Rectangular structure

Unknown 75m S of fence paddlock in "Peat Creek Valley" on east side of the stream.

WF, Bayaraa Excavation

Boulder pavement

Unknown Lower B3 terrace on east side of Khirigsuur go near 2 Pazyryk mounds and another pavement simliar to B3-20, but larger.

steppe


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Khirigsuur DSK complex, Late Bronze

N of winter herder dwelling (in hollow) east of Peat Valley Stream.

Center of mound has been disturbed.

WF/DC Survey Ethnographic camp ground

Kazakh Lower terrace E of wetland


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



156


Research Potential

Remarks

Circular boulder pavement simliar to B3-1. Probably closely related to B3-20.


Site Name: Biluut 3-2B


Research Potential

Remarks

Circle of surface cobbles 5m diameter-No cultural material noted.




Research Potential

Remarks

Burial mound of large boulders with a standing stone in its S side. A stone tent ring about 6-7m diameter adjoins the mound to E, and a rectangular walled structure adjoining to W, with oval hearth ring in center, trough like features in each corner

ca 8m. Diameter yesyes, C 14, found from rectangular feature

we excavated the rectangular structure.

B3-3 to B3-10 are on the west terrace of Peat Valley below (south) of fenced pasture.

Boulder/ cobble pavement about 6x6m width surface stones each packed together tightly. We spend three days exacavating this mound and found two small rectangular stone slab boxes just under the 2nd level of rocks.

6x6m NoneOnly poorly preserved fragments of a possibly human finger or toe bone.



Research Potential

Remarks

2 Khirigsuurs on moraine crest north of herder camp. Southern Khirigsuurs is square with completely paved enclosure and 4 large 1.5x1.5m hearth rings around W/SW side of fence. 2 rings have 10 stones 2 only 8. A space is open on west side of each ring.

NoneNone Detailed Diagram Included. Large hearth ring rocks. Boulder cone at each corner but no uprights.

Large area of ethno camps throughout lowest terrace, with ger impressions, rock features, dumps, artifacts.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks


157

WF/DC Survey Cobble Features

Unknown 75m N of B3-30.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Large Rectangular enclosure

Unknown N part of terrace


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Irrigation ditch

Modern E side of canyon creek


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



Unknown Terrace front over Canyon Creek


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Cobble circle Unknown Terrace edge 12m E of B3-34.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Slab feature Unknown Edge of steppe overlooking canyon


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Square slab enclosure

Turkic? On terrace below B3 E side of Khuitan gol gorge.


158

Two square concentrations of cobbles, 4-5m in diameter with slab rocks in center and around some edges. Northern feature has a 30cm high standing stone on east side.

each 4-5m in diameter

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Large earthwork enclosure with 28m N-S, 28m E-W banked wall 50-60cm high, and a central boulder feature in cetner. Central cobble feature 3x3m rectangular slab feature 5m to south (tested by WF in 2008).

28x28m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Shared ditch running parallel to terrace on east side of Canyon Creek.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

4x4 boulder cluster 4x4m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

11 cobbles in circle. 80cm chain. Possibly a hearth.

80cm NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

1.5x2.0m cone of flat slabs. 1.5x2.0m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

3.5x4m slab lined enclosure filled with boulders slabs inclined inward. Some boulders thrown out in N may indicate looting-2 small standing slabs at NE corner.

3.5x4m NoneNone


159


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burial mound Pazyryk Terrace E of Canyon River gorge.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Slab Oval Unknown 8m E of B3-38

SITE NAME: Biluut 3-3B Date: 6/26/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burial Unknown Terrace south of B3 tail, inside part of terrace under higher terrace bank.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder pavement

Unknown Lower Peat Valley terrace halfway from terrace's north end to its south end.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Rings

Unknown Terrace at E side of upper Khuiten gol canyon.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



160



Research Potential

Remarks

7x8m diagram boulder mound, no depressed center, edge with flat slabs.

7x8m NoneNone May be undisturbed.



Research Potential

Remarks

1.0x1.5m diameter oval made of vertical slabs. Hearth?

1.0x1.5m NoneNone

Site Name: Biluut 3-3B


Research Potential

Remarks

Oval concentration of boulders 4.5x2.5m with marmot hole at north end, and a large peaked upright stone at grave head (north end). A line of large boulders extends from S and N grave west towards the high terrace. Ethnographic camps throught this area.

4.5x2.5m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Tear-drop-shaped boulder pavement with rounded larger and to S and trailing pointed end toN. There may be some question whether this is a cultural or natural feature.

14m long, 5m wide. NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

5 small boulder rings- 1m diameter. Hearths? Possibly related to large standing slab at terrace edge.

each 1m diameter NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks


161

WF/DC Survey Slab feature Turkic? Terrace front at E side of canyon head.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Mound

Unknown In boulder field at E edge of upper Canyon Terrace.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burial Mound Unknown SE side of terrace east of upper Khuiten gol gorge.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Fallen slab Unknown In a small level place with juniper bushes midway up BD hill on side facing Khuiten gol.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Concentr.

Unknown 50m in from front of terrace to east. 30m east of B3-4.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Grave? Unknown At terrace front.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder Concentration

Unknown Middle of lower terrace, extending south from a large rectangular 'glacial erratic'.



162

Rectangular arrangements of standing slabs inclined outwards, with largest slab (21m long) standing 80cm high at SE corner. Much modern debris has been burned in this feature-glass, bone, plastic. A former ritual site?

NoneNone Yes



Research Potential

Remarks

9x15m boulder mound 80cm high with 3 depressions in center.

9x15m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

7x10m diameter burial mound. Looks intact.

7x10m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Fallen standing slab in the ground. Some boulders present in this area.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Rectangular arrangement of large rocks 7x3m, some rocks may be natural.

7x3m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Boulder concentration 5x2.5m rectangular shape aligned to NW. Very large granite rocks.

5x2.5m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Long linear concentration of rocks (med/ small sized) aligned N-S 4-5m wide and 32m long. Cultural? Natural?

4-5m wide and 32m long

NoneNone



163

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



Unknown Middle of lower peat valley terrace


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder pavement/ burial

Unknown Near terrace front facing peat valley creek


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Khirigsuur DSK Complex, Late Bronze

N of winter herder dwelling (in hollow) east of Peat Valley stream.

Center of mound has been disturbed.

SITE NAME: BN-1 Date: 6/29/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Circular Khirigsuur

Unknown N side of Khuiten (canyon) gol at edge of bank.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Boulder Mound

Unknown E of the previous group of burials, located at the base of the nest higher terrace and close to the river bank.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



164


Research Potential

Remarks

Tear-drop-shaped boulder pavement with a few small standing shale slabs and a large upright granite boulder in the middle. Old enough for some granite rocks to be eroded into flat upper surfaces.

15x4m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Linear boulder pavement with a probable burial at north end. 16x4m. Rectangular boulder feature along southwest side. Possible that the linear pavement is natural.

1x2m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

2 Khirigsuurs on moraine crest north of herder camp. Southern khirigsuur is square with completely paved enclosure and 4 large 1.5x1.5m hearth rings around W/SW side of fence. 2 rings have 10 stones, 2 only 8. A space is open on west side of each ring.

NoneNone Diagram included. Large hearth ring rocks. Boulder cone at each corner, but no uprights.

Site Name: BN-1


Research Potential

Remarks

Circular khirigsuur 9x9m with no obvious fence. 2 hearth circles to the west. 1 Southeth 13 stones. 2 Northern 13 stones.

9x9m NoneNone Not obviously disturbed

Site Name: BN-10


Research Potential

Remarks

At entrance to gorge, covered with juniper growth.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-11


Research Potential

Remarks


165

WF Team Survey Boulder cache

Unknown Part way up the riverside trail to next terrace above the big grave complex.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Standing stone

Turkic? On a high terrace N of the Khuiten gol gorge located a few m east of a hugh round glacial boulder.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Standing slab enclosures

Turkic? On a small hidden terrace west of the Khuiten gol gorge. Herders have built a 3-sided stone walled structure (no south wall or roof) from slabs and borders taken from burials.

Site slabs have been taken and used for structure 5m from site NE of rectangular boxes.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Square slab enclosure, standing stone

Turkic? W of rectangular boxes, 50m west of stone house.

Looted mound


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Circular stone mound

Unknown W end of the "stone shelter" terrace

Recently scavanged and looted.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Standing slab inside square slabs

Unknown W end of "stone shelter" terrace

Slabs recently looted.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Square mound

Unknown 8m W of BN-16 on "stone shelter" terrace

Recently looted for slabs


166

Semi-circle of boulders at riverside, up against a large boulder. Possibly a meat cache.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-12


Research Potential

Remarks

A large prominent standing stone swuare top. 112 tall, 62 wide and 25 inches. A square setting of vertical slabs 1.5x1.5m.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-13


Research Potential

Remarks

Long 2mx10m set of 6 rectangular boxes 1.5mx1.5m each having had a small standing stone, now cannibalized by herders. Additional square enclosure 17m from NE of rectangular boxes. Enclosures one oriented 030/40 degrees.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-14


Research Potential

Remarks

Vertical slab enclosure with a standing stone.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-15


Research Potential

Remarks

10m diamter 10m diamter NoneNone

Site Name: BN-16


Research Potential

Remarks

102x47x8cm dimensions of slab. 102x47x8cm NoneNone

Site Name: BN-17


Research Potential

Remarks

3m square 3x3m NoneNone


167


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Circular Khirigsuur

DSKC 10m NE of BN-17 Recently looted for stones.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Square burial Unknown N BN-1 (3m)


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Stone mound Pazyryk N of BN-2


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Boulder ring Unknown Adjacent and south of BN-3


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Stone Ring Unknown NW of BN-3 (2m)


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Square Khirigsuur

DSKC 12m N of upslope of BN-4


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



168

Site Name: BN-18


Research Potential

Remarks

Large boulder Khirigsuur with cobble filled center

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-2


Research Potential

Remarks

6x7m square sided burial mound with pile of large stones in center.

6x7m NoneNone

Site Name: BN-3


Research Potential

Remarks

A large circular mound of stones with depressed center.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-4


Research Potential

Remarks

Circular bolder pavement with lots of broken slab rock in center. BN-3 overlaps BN-3 and was built later.

NoneNone

Site Name: BN-5


Research Potential

Remarks

8 stone boulders. Open center, very large high boulders, widely spaced apart, as though to create a council ring of seats. An unusual feature. First of its kind, since it is certainly not a burial feature.

NoneNone Yes, view of east. WF DSCN 3596

Site Name: BN-6


Research Potential

Remarks

Plaza completely paved with cobbles. Juniper growing in center. 2 large hearth rings to the NW of mound. 1-12 stone, 2-12 stones 12 meters to south.

NoneNone Not obviously disturbed

Small diagram included.

Site Name: BN-7


Research Potential

Remarks


169

WF Team Survey Circular Khirigsuur

DSKC 10m NE of BN-6


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Square Khirigsuur

DSKC


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF Team Survey Circular Mound

Unknown

SITE NAME: DC 601 Date: 6/22/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/RU/DC Survey Ethnographic Camp

Ethnographic

S of road between B1/B2 . Circular ger patterns, hearths and other features, artifacts etc.

eroded surface, gravel.

SITE NAME: East Bay-1 Date: 7/9/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Excavation

Square Khirigsuur with spokes

DSKC East Bay, on isthmus 6 penninsula


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/EF Survey Rectangular structure

Unknown In a high valley/pasture associated with the higher of the two 'new' log herder houses above East Bay Plain SE of the low pasture in a small draw/canyon.


170

11x11m fenced and 7x7m mound. Covered in juniper and not disturbed. Large 14 stone hearth ring 10m to the northwest.

11x11m NoneNone

Site Name: BN-8


Research Potential

Remarks

Square Khirigsuur with pinnacles at north and south corners rubble filled plaza. Mound composed of very small rocks. A small Khirigsuur.

NoneNone Small diagram included.

Site Name: BN-9


Research Potential

Remarks

Circular bolder mound, 6m diameter.


Site Name: DC 601


Research Potential

Remarks

Lots of recent camp debris-odd shoes, broken crockery, metal scraps, bones, hearth stone features. Some circular patterns of former ger tents.

75m x 50m NoneNone

Site Name: East Bay-1


Research Potential

Remarks

8 hearth rings along NE khir fence. 4 more around N corner. Double wall spokes to each corner. Small cobble mound with some burrowing/ derrangement in center spoke-like feature from mound to midway in NW fence. No other obvious internal features.

16m diameter mound

NoneCharcoal and burned bone excavated from hearth, #7.

Detailed diagram included. A very large and well-made structure with 4 'spokes' to the fence corners.



Research Potential

Remarks

9x15m rectangular boulder enclosure made with large rocks-no obvious function-lies in the middle of the draw where spring water would flood and possible sheep pen-old lichen covered rocks. Too large to be a dwelling, and in the wrong location.

9x15m NoneNone


171


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Stone feature Unknown In hills east of East Bay Plain SE of 'new' uppermost herder house-below rectangular structure in the draw.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Circular khirigsuur

DSKC Southernmost Khirigsuur on East Bay Plain, nearest to hill bordering the plain.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Excavation

Circular Khirigsuur and deer stone

DSKC Circular part of East Bay Plain about 100m north of road.

DS Survey Circular Khirigsuur

Unknown


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Khirigsuur? Stone mound

DSKC NE extension of plain up toward herder cabin

Seems undisturbed.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age



172



Research Potential

Remarks

U shaped enclosure of rocks on NE side of valley. No obvious function. Old lichen-covered rocks. Located off to the side of the valley's drainage. A possible pasture function? Irrigation ditches in the area, but that does not help explain their function.

NoneNone Small diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks

A well-constructed Khirigsuur with 4 double-lined spokes and a single-rock lined fence. 3 hearth rings to NW of fence/ mound. A large granite rock in middle of mound but not a deerstone.

NoneNone Detailed diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks

A large circular Khirigsuur with 4 double-lined spokes and 2 hearth rings, both of which we excavated. A granite deerstone was lying down in the sod at eastern edge of the mound. Central mound had a borrow pit. We excavated the DS where it was found.

NoneCharcoal and burned bone from both hearths.

Diagram included.

NoneNone Large diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks

11m dia. mound of small boulders and cobbles. .5m high. No internal features but there is a suggestion of a hearth N of mound, and possible horse burial to SE 3m from edge of mound. 7/10/2011 Excavated the stone circle and found no horse or other remains.

11m diameter NoneNone Small diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks


173

DC/WF Survey Khirigsuur? Pazyryk? 25m NE of East Bay-4 Looted-4 huge cover stones lying on surface in cetner of mound. Possibly a Khirigsuur because of nearby hearth circles.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Cemetery Modern Kazakh

On a dip in the clay bluff N side of plain extension 150m SW of herder cabin.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Circle Khirigsuur

Unknown Center of East Bay plain east of a small knoll

Only a small disturbance in center of mound.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Stone circle Horse head burial?

Middle of East Bay Plain, approx. 100m east of EB-7.

DC/WF Survey Khirigsuur Circular

DSKC Next to new cabin up a draw NE of the plain.

undisturbed

SITE NAME: Khuiten Delta-1 Date: 7/9/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Large rock piles

Modern On terrace at SW part of Khuiten gol delta


174

12m diameter moudn 1m high with large rocks bordering edge of mound around NE side. Mostly built of small cobbles. Center is looted and riddled with marmot and squirrel hoels and dung. 3 hearth rings aound NE side of mound, 8-10m from edge of mound.

12m diameter NoneNone Detailed diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks

15 burial cairns, one of wood cribbing. Found a quartzite 'cleaver' a few meters NE of burials (left in the field).

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

4-spoked khirigsuur with well-defined mound .5m high and fence. A large rectangle stone south east side of mound maybe a deer stone. 12m diameter mound, 26m diameter fence, 14 hearth circles most around NE and SW sides.

NoneNone Detailed diagram included.



Research Potential

Remarks

1.2m circle of rocks with one in center. Possible unassociated horse head burial?

1.2m NoneNone

10.5 diameter mound .7m high of stream cobbles .16m diameter fence. 6 hearth circles with 10,11 rocks around west/ north side of fence.

10.5m diameter NoneNone

Site Name: Khuiten Delta-1


Research Potential

Remarks

8 large and 2 small piles of slab rock and large boulders-seeming to be graves but Jagaa said were piles of constructution rock. However, all are 2x long as wide and most aligned to north.

None Diagram included. Immediately to the E is a large stone boulder structure part of which is circular and has a central grave-like slab feature, while to the E part of it extends to much larger rectangular or oval shape.


175


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF/RK Survey Circluar Khirigsuur

DSKC Next to huge glacial erectile on the shore west of Khuiteu gol delta, above a rock art site.


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


DC/WF Survey Stone pavement mound

Early Bronze?

.5m SW of Khuiten gol lower ford, in western edge of ethnographic camp area.

Appears undisturbed

SITE NAME: Pond Site Date: 7/1/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


LOF Team Excavation

Pond Site Unknown S of the small pond between B1 and B2, on a steady terrace at bast of B1 hillside

sandy/ gravel 50%

The burial has been looted, maybe more than once

SITE NAME: West Lake-1 Date: 6/30/2011 Province: Bayan Ulgii Suum: Tsengel

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Stone mound Unknown NW shore of embankment northwest of Biluut


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Bridge foundation

Modern Several hundred meters upstream from lake shore eastern side of embankment north of Biluut.



176



Research Potential

Remarks

A small circular khirigsuur on a small level place, well-defined fence and mound, all apparently undisturbed. Two hearth rings a few meters to NW of khirigsuur.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

8.5x8.5m stone pavement with small rocks relatively widely spaced apart. Small attached 'loops' at S, W sides of mound. There is a single white quartz lock right in the center of the mound.

8.5x8.5m 1 quartzite biface midsection, 1 small ceramic fragment from the mound. Anotehr ceramic fragment 100m to NE

None Small diagram included.

Site Name: Pond Site


Research Potential

Remarks

A large metagreywacke standing stone in a small box enclosure SW of a looted grave. To NW extends a rectangular enclosure approx 6x10m bordered by small standing slabs on E,W, and north sides, and by a line of cobbles on the S side.

approx 6x10m yes, charcoal yes, excellent

Site Name: West Lake-1


Research Potential

Remarks

3x3m stone mound, possibly relatively recent as stones are not embedded in soil. Lichen cover suggests most stones have been moved recently.

3x3m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

Large piles of boulders on either side of stream, with wood posts remnants used for supporting the roadway. One support timbers 12inches in diameter was 120 years old when cut.

NoneNone



177

Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Boulder cluster or cache

Unknown On a knoll close to shore, overlooking lakeshore road


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Tent ring Unknown N of road at west end of inlet


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Circular Khirigsuur

DSKC N of road at head of clay hill inlet at east side of small clay (kettle pond?)

no obvious evidence of looting or disturbance in the mound


Surveyed By


Culture Period/Age


WF/DC Survey Burial mound Pazyryk 15m diameter mound of large rocks, with depressed center, juniper growth in NE quadrandt. Heavily lichen-covered but probably looted in antiquity.


178


Research Potential

Remarks

2x2m diamater cluster of rocks alongside a large boulder.

2x2m NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

4m diameter ring of small stones, with hearth cobbles in center. Charcoal in surface vegetation but not in soil-some flakes of basalt but non definitive.

4m diameter NoneNo



Research Potential

Remarks

A large granite slab btwn mound and fence may be a removed capstone, and the stone is irregular shape, and not a normal standing stone, but it may have served this purpose, located in the N/NW edge of mound.

Fence ring 9m diameter. Mound is 6m diameter.

NoneNone



Research Potential

Remarks

NoneNone

rock art and archaeology - national museum of natural … art and... · n side of 3rd deer stone at...

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