Kherlen expedition breaks news concerning Turkic history causing a sensation

ULAANBAATAR. KAZINFORM "An archeological expedition of the International Turkic Academy (TWESCO) broke the news concerning the Turkic history causing a sensation at the Kherlen river high-water bed," director of the Mongolian National Museum Dagvaadorjiin Sukhbaatar, told a press conference held in Ulan-Bator.

As he noted, the Kherlen River overflow land was a home to khans and has a direct bearing to the Turkic history.



As earlier reported, the Turkic World Educational and Scientific Cooperation Organization (TWESCO) and Mongolian National Museum started archeological excavations at the Kherlen river overflow land at the Khayakhudag and Gunburd sites, dated to the Turkic epoch.



There were no data before that the region has any relevance to the Turkic era. However, the expedition finds reveal that the Kherlen-Kentey region, located in northeast Mongolia, was inhabited by our glorious predecessors in the epoch of Huns and Turks.



As Dagvaadorjiin Sukhbaatar noted, the Kherlen project is a joint complex project of the museum and the International Turkic Academy. No excavations were carried out before in the Khentii province, the golden cradle of the great khans. The Old Turkic ceremonial complex dated roughly to 6-8 centuries has remained a mystery to this day. The ancient complex 30 sq m in size was buried under soil over the centuries. The finds unearthed there are expected to enrich the monuments of the Turkic epoch.

According to the scientists, Khayakhudag complex is situated above the 2-meter high burial mound. It is separated from surroundings by a one-meter wide ditch. A ceramic jar, two human stone statutes and other artifacts were found in the ditch at the depth of 220cm. The archeologists unearthed there also a wooden temple with a roof covered with wood planks.



As Chinbold Bayandelger, an archeologist, stressed, there are lots of bones of horses and sacrificial animals dug in the complex. The bones found there are larger than of the ordinary horses therefore the scientists assume that the ancient horses were under saddle for a long period of time and participated in the crusades.

The ceremonial complexes proof that the Turks offered sacrifices to Tengri, worshipped forefathers. The Turkic monuments unearthed at Kherlen River high-water bed will enrich the Turkic history with fresh details which prove that northeastern Mongolia was a homeland of the Old Turks.