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Archeologists find ancient mummy approximately 1,500 years old in Mongolia

By 0 and 0 and 0
09 April 2016

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'The finds show us that these people were very skilled craftsmen.' Picture: Khovd Museum

The ancient human remains are wrapped in felt but the excavation is being hailed as the first complete Turkik burial found in Central Asia. B.Sukhbaatar, researcher at Khovd Museum, said: 'This person was not from elite, and we believe it was likely a woman, because there is no bow in the tomb. 

'Now we are carefully unwrapping the body and once this is complete the specialists will be able to say more precisely about the gender.'

In the mummy's grave archeologists found - alongside the human remains - a saddle, bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle, the remains of entire horse, and four different 'Dool' (Mongolian clothes).

Hand


Bridle

'Now we are carefully unwrapping the body and the specialists could say more precisely about the gender.' Pictures: Khovd Museum

There were also pillows, a sheep's head and felt travel bag in which were placed the whole back of a sheep, goat bones and small leather bag for the cup.

He said: 'It is the first complete Turkik burial at least in Mongolia - and probably in all Central Asia. This is a very rare phenomenon. These finds show us the beliefs and rituals of Turkiks. 

'We can see clearly that the horse was deliberately sacrificed. It was a mare, between four and eight years old. Four coats we found were made of cotton.  

Bag


Saddle

Elaboated embroidery on the bag and a saddle - all very good preserved. Picture: Khovd Museum

'An interesting thing we found is that not only sheep wool was used, but also camel wool. We can date the burial by the things we have found there, also the type of hat. It gives us a preliminary date of around the 6th century AD.'

Archeologists from the city museum in Khovd were alerted to the burial site by local herdsmen. The finds will help form a deeper understanding of the native Turks in ancient Mongolia. 

bag ropes


Researchers

In the mummy's grave archeologists found - alongside the human remains - a saddle, bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle, the remains of entire horse, and four different 'Dool' (Mongolian clothes). Pictures: Khovd Museum

'The grave was located 2803 meters above sea level,' said B.Sukhbaatar. 'This fact and the cool temperatures helped to preserve the grave. The grave was three metres deep.

'The finds show us that these people were very skilled craftsmen. Given that this was the grave of a simple person, we understand that craft skills were rather well developed.'

The Altai Mountains unite Siberia, in Russia, and Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. 

The grave was located 2803 meters above sea level, in Mongolian Altai. Pictures: The Siberian Times

Map


Map

Comments (41)

I've been trying to see if the Khovd Museum has a website I can visit, but after a lot of searching, I can't seem to find a link anywhere. Does anyone have a link to their website? Do they not have a website?

Thank you!
Courtney Lake, Prescott, Arizona, USA
04/06/2020 06:30
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Cool shoes have not yet gone out of style.
brian, selden, usa
27/03/2019 06:39
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you need a lot of imagination to recognize adidas shoes
September, Schleusingen, Germany
09/02/2018 00:39
2
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Wolf is a symbol of the Benjamin tribe. Ancient Turks had Israeli Benjamin tribes. Kagan refers to cohen, blue is the symbol color of Benjamin's father Joseph. The artifact should be made of 52.5 cm, 19 cm, 17 cm major. Just like ancient ruins in Japan.
yukio miura, kanagawa japan
23/08/2017 20:33
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Could you tell the body's height ?
Shashank, India
16/04/2017 18:27
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This goes to show that "primitive" people were not primitive at all. Finds such as this connect us to our ancestors of old. Thank you for sharing your finds with the world.
Elaine Menard, USA
25/11/2016 23:10
3
1
Beautiful find! Thank you so much for sharing this with everyone! However, is it just me, or does anyone else mourn the loss of such a young horse, to be buried with her? *sighs* But, at the same time, had they not done that, we wouldn't have gotten to see all the accoutrements that went along with the horse! Fabulous workmanship on everything found! And just to restate my earlier comment about the "Adidas-looking" shoes. I saw a program (think it was on YouTube?) about the Adidas logo coming from the ancient symbol like the ones seen here on her shoes. So. It's the other way around, Adidas used a similar ancient symbol on their modern shoes, which is why you recognize it! LOL!
Becky, Tennessee, USA.
22/06/2016 10:38
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屍體是溶解了,周邊的馬靴繩索等物件,保存的完整,了解一下材質.
李肖先, 中華民國
08/06/2016 07:41
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The saddle is amazing and looks comfortable like a modern deep seated dressage saddle! and I am astounded by the horse bit too considering its age, It looks like a modern twisted snaffle mouthliece!

I am a saddler and can assure you those shoes are hand stitched!

It is awesome to look back in time and to see how ingenious our ancestors were! Basic horse tack design has not changed much over these 1500 years!

So thrilled and priveledged to have been able to view these photos
Summer, Hebden Bridge England
27/05/2016 15:20
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Hello Folks, I would love to believe that time travel was a possibility. But do you really think those look like "Addidas"? I hate to rain on your parade - but they do not look like shoes of the 20th or 21st century. They look like handmade shoes
Margaret Sullivan, Chicago, Illinois
18/05/2016 08:46
9
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I'm so angry at other articles for being too concerned about the shoes looking like the Adidas brand.
Olivia, USA
02/05/2016 20:09
4
3
hahah NO son las cintas propias de una alpargata cerrada como usan algunos gitanos en la actualidad, como cordones pero cintas por eso se ven cruzadas las cintas blancas, subian hasta rodear la pierna y se atan a la altura de la pantorrilla
dante, Argentine
01/05/2016 14:03
2
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Could this have been a modern person dressed in authentic clothing of the past? Following the ancient rituals of the past??? Living the life of the past??
Dianne, USA
30/04/2016 20:18
3
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Being member of the Board of the Dutch Shoe Museum (SLEM) and in contact with Mr Boy Habraken, one of the most well known ancient etnic shoes experts in the world, being also the owner of the Shoe Or No Shoes (SONS) Shoe Museum in Kruishoutem in Belgium, we can send you the picture of the original shoe that has been earlier found in that region. A mocassin made kind of sandal with leather straps. If you want to receive this picture, I can send it to you. Unfortunately, no mysteries about this shoe.
Carl van der Putten, Waalwijk
23/04/2016 15:28
21
3
Beautiful and astounding.
Catherine Litel, USA
20/04/2016 03:43
4
2

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