A “Tomb for the Elite” Discovered in an Abandoned Fortress in Mongolia. The tomb contains the remains of a woman dressed in a yellow silk cloak. This discovery provides insights into burial practices and trade within the prosperous empire 1,000 years ago.
Archaeologists stumbled upon this burial site while surveying a location in northeastern Mongolia. The Khar Nuur Fortress was built between the 10th and 12th centuries during the Khitan-Liao Empire, which controlled much of central and eastern Mongolia at the time. The fortress is part of the “Great Wall” that stretches across the countryside, according to a study published in the September issue of the journal Asian Archaeological Research.
Aerial photo of the archaeological site in Mongolia with a red circle indicating the burial site of the noblewoman. (Photo: Dan Golan)
After the empire collapsed in 1125, it was succeeded by the Mongol Empire (Mongolia) in 1206, led by Genghis Khan. According to a statement from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the fortress itself is a profound symbol of identity, memory, and power during a transitional period.
Gideon Shelach-Lavi, co-author of the study and professor of East Asian studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, stated: “The discovery of this tomb is quite surprising, and the fact that the tomb was not looted (most tombs in this area were looted in ancient times) is remarkable.”
The tomb was hidden within a wall of the fortress. Radiocarbon dating of the skeleton indicates that the deceased was a woman aged between 40 and 60. She was buried in a coffin, wearing a yellow silk cloak, with additional silk fabric placed under her head, covered by a birch bark hood.
Shelach-Lavi noted, “The wealth of the tomb, not only in terms of the quantity of grave goods but also their diversity, suggests that the woman buried here belonged to the upper class and was an important figure in society. The tomb itself is small, but the number of artifacts found is significant compared to other tombs from the same period.”
For instance, archaeologists unearthed a large quantity of beads, some of which originated from outside the local area, as well as silk textiles, gold jewelry, fragments of a bronze vessel, and a silver cup within the woman’s tomb. These items were placed inside a coffin made of Marbury wood, a type of wood not found locally, according to the study.
“This indicates the accumulation of valuable jewelry throughout her lifetime. All of this suggests that she was a woman of high status in society and was treated exceptionally after her death. This discovery also hints at a vast network of exchange that we are unaware of regarding the context of Genghis Khan’s rise and the Mongol Empire,” Shelach-Lavi added.
We know very little about the period between the collapse of the Khitan-Liao Empire and the rise of the Mongol Empire. However, researchers hope that further study of this unique burial site may provide insights into that era.
