Mongolian Journal of Anthropology, Archaeology and Ethnology

Introduction

Bayarbat Tugsbuyan — 2026-05-31

This special issue brings together a collection of articles

presented at the Second International Mongolian Studies

Symposium, Vienna: Current Research and Practices

in Anthropology, Art & Archaeology in Mongolia and

Beyond, held in Vienna at the Austrian Academy of

Sciences from 25 to 26 November 2024. The symposium

was generously supported by the Institute of Mongolian

Studies of the National University of Mongolia, the

National Council for Mongolian Studies, the Embassy of

Mongolia in Austria, the Institute for Social Anthropology

and the International Relations Office of the Austrian

Academy of Sciences.

Mapping Nomadic Space: Are Mining Maps a form of Spatial Injustice in Contemporary Mongolia?

Ariell Ahearn — 2026-06-02

Mongolia’s current development trajectory relies almost entirely on the expansion of the mineral

extraction industry; the current government’s agenda is to transform the Gobi provinces into a mining zone and

open new border points for export with China. The last decade has already set the stage for this transformation,

with over 2000 exploration and exploitation licenses issued across the country. This transformation in rural land

use has involved large-scale land acquisition and the forced displacement of mobile pastoralists. UN agencies

have expressed concerns about human rights violations against pastoralists and their exclusion from decision-

making during licensing and land acquisition. This paper provides a preliminary discussion of the spatial di-

mensions of these injustices by examining how mobile pastoralists are represented in maps created during land

acquisition processes, in the few cases where international land acquisition and resettlement standards have been

implemented. Resettlement processes rely heavily on spatial and temporal scales to determine who is eligible

to be an “impacted or affected person/household.” How have mobile pastoralists’ nomadic land ontologies been

represented in this process? In a time when the visibility and recognition of nomadic land is crucial to both avoid

and mitigate harm to mobile pastoralists, what are the implications of mapping nomadic spaces in the face of the

Gobi’s transition to a mining zone?.

Parallel Excavations: Digging into Enchanted Landscapes

Maria-Katharina Lang — 2026-06-02

Drawing on three ethnographic examples from different research projects and based on collaborative

fieldwork, the authors develop an anthropology of digging by highlighting the effects, human and more-than-human

reactions, or resistance to the displacement of artefacts, the extraction of mineral resources and archaeological

excavations. How is the intrusion into Mongolian soil, which is widely considered as taboo, perceived from

different perspectives, for example by mobile herders, Buddhists, Shamans, drivers, archaeologists, and social

anthropologists? They argue that any form of digging the ground is seen as an intrusion that might provoke the

anger of local spirits and is deeply interwoven with the sacred landscape. Nonetheless the field work examples

also show that the interactions between humans and non-humans are flexible and adapt to the circumstances.

Being-in-the-field: Ethnographic Observations on Archaeological Fieldwork in Central Mongolia

Cecilia Conte — 2026-06-02

In the last two decades, new intersections between archaeology and ethnography have emerged, cre-

ating subdisciplines such as ethnography of archaeological practice (Edgeworth 2003). Rather than defining

archaeology as dealing exclusively with the past, such subdisciplines interrogate how archaeological knowl-

edge is produced in the present (Davidovic 2009). Reversing the traditional dynamic of the ethnographer going

“abroad”, “into the field” – which is paralleled by archaeologists visiting the foreign country that is the past

(Lowenthal 1985) – here archaeologists themselves become the group under study and archaeology a field that

is embedded in larger societal dynamics (Meskell 2005; Castañeda 2008). Building on two fieldwork seasons

(2023 and 2024) in the Upper Orkhon Valley, on the border between Arkhangai and Övörkhangai provinces in

central Mongolia, as well as the interdisciplinary theoretical background developed as part of previous research,

this article develops the notion of ethnography of archaeological fieldwork in a Mongolian context. It explores

knowledge production at the excavation site, daily life at the archaeological camp, and the author’s reflexive

perspective as an insider and outsider. The aim is to understand how an archaeological dig inserts itself into the

pastoral landscape and existing infrastructures, and how the ethnography of fieldwork can contribute to conduct-

ing more ethical archaeological research in the future.

A New Study of the Clothing of the Zubu Nomads in Mongolia During the Liao Dynasty

Ulambayar Erdenebat — 2026-06-02

The clothing styles of the ancient Xiongnu and Xianbei nomads were inherited by the Khitans, proto-

Mongolic speakers who established a powerful state in the 10th-12th centuries. After founding their state, they

enacted laws regulating dress: in the northern part of their realm, people were to wear their traditional attire,

while in the southern regions, people were required to wear Han-style garments. During the height of the Khitan

Empire, the Mongolic groups under their authority, known as Zubu, left behind clothing traditions that Mongo-

lian archaeologists have recently uncovered and studied, contributing significant knowledge about the apparel of

early nomads. Furthermore, among the cultural heritage preserved in private collections in Mongolia are valu-

able artefacts that shed light on the clothing design of early Mongolic peoples. Based on geographic context,

historical sources, detailed examination of related artefacts, and radiocarbon dating, researchers have concluded

that these finds are associated with the Kerait and Naiman lineages.

Water for the Khan: Unveiling the Hidden Well of Karabalgasun

Christina Franken — 2026-06-02

This article presents the first study of the well of Karabalgasun (Ordu Baliq), the Uyghur capital

in Mongolia’s Orkhon Valley, integrating archaeological, historical, and conservation perspectives. Systematic

excavations of the citadel from 2012 to 2018 uncovered prestigious architecture and a deep, technically

complex well, built during the construction of the citadel. Exceptional finds ‒ including lacquered wooden

poles, jade books inscribed with Tang dynasty imperial decrees, high-status objects, and the skeleton of a traded

gyrfalcon ‒ provide insights into the courtly culture, diplomatic ties, and ritual practices spanning the Uyghur

and Khitan periods. The multidisciplinary conservation project pioneered the use of trehalose-based methods

in Mongolia, succeeding for the first time in preserving waterlogged wooden artefacts for detailed research and

public exhibition. The findings illuminate the political importance of Karabalgasun, demonstrate its function as

a hub for prestige, trade, and diplomacy on the Silk Road, and advance archaeological conservation science in

Mongolia.

Buddhism in Mongolia after Socialism: Continuity, Change,and Modernity

Bavuudorj Bumbayar — 2026-06-02

This work examines the rise and development of Mongolian Buddhism as a Mongolian tradition, as

well as the challenges and issues it faced following the democratic revolution of 1990. After decades of religious

prohibition under state socialism, Mongolians began searching for a renewed sense of national identity in the

post-communist era. With the fall of the Communist Party, they turned to key cultural and historical symbols

that had defined their heritage before the advent of communism, most notably, Chinggis Khan and his Golden

Lineage, along with Mongolian Buddhism. This study is structured into two main sections. The first provides a

brief historical overview of Mongolian Buddhism, tracing its origins and early development. The second focuses

on its resurgence after 1990, highlighting the role of Buddhism in shaping Mongolia’s post-socialist identity. It

explores how Mongolians are actively redefining their national identity within a modern society and their efforts

to rebuild Buddhism as a genuine Mongolian tradition. Additionally, this work examines the pivotal role Tibetan

scholars played in the revival of Buddhism in Mongolia. The analysis sheds light on the intertwined destinies of

Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions in the contemporary era.

Staged Nomadism: Heritagisation and Commodification of Intangible Culture in Mongolia

Baatarnaran Tsetsentsolmon — 2026-06-02

This research paper explores the processes of heritagisation and the politicisation of “nomadic culture”

in contemporary Mongolia based on our anthropological fieldwork conducted between 2022 and 2025. We ana-

lysed how intangible cultural practices are constructed, institutionalised, and performed, tracing the transition

from oyuny/utga soyol (intellectual culture) to the internationally recognised category of soylyn biyet bus öv

(intangible cultural heritage) as legitimised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

Organisation). Everyday practices such as epic singing, folk dance (Mongol biyelgee), shamanic ritual, and pas-

toral knowledge are reframed through international institutions, festivals, and state certification schemes. From

the critical perspective of heritagisation, we approach heritage not as a fixed set of tangible and intangible enti-

ties but as a complex process through which practices and narratives are continually reinterpreted in changing

political contexts.

Deconstructing Tradition – The Transformation of Mongolian Script in Contemporary Art

Unubaatar Irmuun (Yirimuen) — 2026-06-02

This paper explores the transformation of Mongolian script in contemporary art through the concep-

tual art project Words No Longer Words. By deconstructing traditional and modern forms of Mongolian script,

the project questions how script, identity, and memory confront changes and crises in a digitised and globalised

era. Consisting of four interconnected works – Textual Blocks, Vertical and Horizontal Crosses, Boundary Con-

straints, and Garbled Characters Everywhere – the project engages with the tension between visibility and

erasure, legibility and abstraction. Through visual fragmentation, cultural symbolism, and experimental use of

media, the project transforms linguistic forms into artistic expressions that reflect the fragility and resilience of

“minority cultures”. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from deconstruction, image-text relations, and cultural

identity studies, this paper positions the Mongolian script not only as a tool of communication but also as a visual

medium for critical reflection and creative resistance.

Reflections on Academic Community

Cecilia Conte — 2026-06-02

When I was in Ulaanbaatar for only two days in early 2024 September, I had the chance to meet Tsetsentsolmon

Baatarnaaran at the National University of Mongolia for a very brief meeting. Due to my interest in both Mon-

golian archaeology and anthropology, she told me about a conference that was to take place. A bit more than two

months later, I had the pleasure of participating in the “International Mongolian Studies Symposium: Current

Research and Practices in Anthropology, Art & Archaeology in Mongolia and Beyond” in Vienna, which was

held at the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften from 2024 November 25th-26th. As a young research-

er, I am sometimes apprehensive of conferences. In the worst-case scenario, they turn into an elitist competition

between senior male scholars who happen to be specialists in a topic entirely unrelated, but very relevant to the

current conversation. This symposium was the complete opposite: it filled me not only with novel information

and ideas but with a feeling of belonging and new connections.