In a remarkable discovery, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an elite woman dressed in a yellow silk cloak inside an ancient fortress in Mongolia. This prestigious grave, hidden within the ruins of Khar Nuur, a fortress built between the 10th and 12th centuries during the Kitan-Liao Empire, provides valuable insights into burial and trade practices of that era.
The fortress, part of a “long wall” stretching across northeastern Mongolia, was discovered accidentally while surveying the site. The Kitan-Liao Empire, which dominated central and eastern Mongolia at the time, collapsed in 1125, leading to the rise of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan in 1206. The fortress stands as a symbol of identity and power during this transitional period, according to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The grave, located within one of the fortress walls, contained the well-preserved skeleton of a woman who died between the ages of 40 and 60. She was buried in a coffin, dressed in a yellow silk robe, and surrounded by additional silk textiles and a birchbark headdress. The richness of the grave, including a variety of artifacts, suggests she was a prominent figure in her society.
Among the grave goods were gold jewelry, including a bracelet and earrings, as well as a large number of beads with nonlocal origins, silk textiles, bronze vessel fragments, and a silver cup. The coffin was made of Marbury wood, not native to the region, indicating a high status and an extensive network of trade.
“This discovery not only highlights the elite status of the deceased but also points to a significant network of exchange and trade, which could provide insights into the socio-political landscape leading up to the rise of the Mongol Empire,” said Gideon Shelach-Lavi, co-author of the study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The findings, published in the September issue of *Archaeological Research in Asia*, offer a rare glimpse into the period between the fall of the Kitan-Liao Empire and the emergence of the Mongol Empire. Researchers hope further study of this burial will shed light on the cultural and political dynamics of 12th-century Mongolia.