Treasures of Mongolia

UNESCO Courier, March, 1986 by Namsrain Ser-Odjav

Treasures of Mongolia IN the late nineteenth century, the world scientific community learned of an extraordinary archeological discovery in the valley of the upper Orhon Gol in Central Asia. Where this river emerges from deep gorges and flows in a wide curve into the plain, the ruins of a vast city had been discovered, apparently watched over by a giant stone tortoise, symbol of eternity.

This was the famous Karakorum, capital of the Mongol Empire founded in the thirteenth century by Genghis Khan. It was situated on the right bank of the river, 400 kilometres south-west of Ulaanbaatar, the present capital of Mongolia, in an area which was suitable for both crops and livestock and which possessed very old-established mining deposits, the Dalakyn-tal--an area which, indeed, had been the cradle of many Central Asian civilizations. The strange inscriptions found on the statues and stone stelae discovered in the city were later attributed to the "Blue Turks"; many writings from the period between the sixth and the eighth centuries described this people's glory and its tragic destiny.

Karakorum was a settlement of several thousand inhabitants. Its agriculture and crafts were highly developed, trade flourished, and it boasted a sophisticated intellectual community. Its foundation has been traced back to 1220, when Genghis Khan's headquarters were transferred to the banks of the Orhon Gol, probably near Mount Melekhit, the "Tortoise Mountain". On the heights which today overlook the village of Kharkorim, one can see the imposing granite tortoise which probably gave the site its name.

All around this stronghold, craftworkers' and traders' quarters and other houses were gradually built, until, by about 1230, the area had taken on the appearance of a town. Subsequently, in order to house the administration that was his gift to the Empire and to receive ambassadors with all due ceremony, the great Khan Ogodei, third son of Genghis Khan, ordered major construction work to be carried out.

In the various foreign sources which mention it, the capital of Genghis Khan's immediate successors is described first as a sort of mysterious reservoir from which wave upon wave of savage conquering hordes come pouring out; later it is seen as the economic, political and cultural centre of the unite Mongol tribes in the thirteenth century; and, ultimately, as an archeological cemetery. But the real Karakorum was quite different.

An envoy from King Louis IX of France, the monk william of Rubrouck, who was received in 1256 by Mongke Khan, has left us a detailed description of the community. Twelve different religions coexisted in Karakorum, where mosques, Buddhist monasteries and a Christian church clustered cheek by jowl. The earth rampart which surrounded by the city had four gates, each with its own market.

The palace of Ogodei Khan was a masterpiece of the architecture of the period. The two-storey building contained a vast central reception hall, supported by sixty-four columns and tastefully appointed; its walls were adorned with paintings and the floor was of green glazed tiles. All the roofs, made of green and red tiles, had ornamentation of relief. This love of ornament and the inventive use of a few decorative motifs, characteristic of the architecture of teh time, gave this palace a festive air.

The archeological excavations carried out in recent years in Karakorum add to the written records on a number of points. The palace and the other major constructions were built of sun-dried bricks, some of which still bear the trade-mark of the manufacturer, and the houses could be warmed by a system of underfloor heating. The aristocratic areas extended to north and south along the Orhon river. The craftworkers' and traders' quarters and the administrative districts that have come to light have yielded rich finds: fragments of porcelain and glazed pottery, farming implements, craftworkers' tools, cast iron hubs of wheels, domestic utensils and all sorts of ornaments in gold, silver and bronze. Coins were particularly numerous, of both Mongol and foreign minting.

In 1380, Karakorum was destroyed. But approximately two centuries later, on the same site, there arose the yurt of Avtai Khan, founder of the Erdeni Dzu Monastery. The greawt circular platform which form its base is still visible today.

The Erdeni Dzu architectural complex is an outstanding example of Mongol architecture, and its establishment by the Khalkha Mongol chief Avtai Khan can be traced precisely to the year 1586. Its layout was quadrangular, and in the seventeenth century an unusual precinct was added, consisting of 108 small buildings in the shape of pagodas, the soubourgan. On each of these is inscribed the name of the person to whom it is dedicated. Erdeni Dzu contains other remarkable monuments, either restored or under restoration, in particular the Labrang, a palace, and three large temples. These are set side by side on an earth terrace raised for that purpose, and form a harmonious whole, despite certain dissimilarities: the temple in the centre has two storeys, whereas those on either side have only one, and each has a double pitched roof.