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Excavations at the Duurlig Nars necropolis in eastern Mongolia have uncovered a monumental tomb attributed to the Xiongnu Empire. According to researchers from the National Museum of Korea, the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the National Museum of Mongolia, the grave goods point to contacts with the Roman world and the Korean peninsula. The tomb, about 73 metres long, is described by Archaeology Magazine, which relies on information reported by La Brújula Verde.
An Exceptional Burial at Duurlig Nars
The Duurlig Nars necropolis holds a tomb whose dimensions are striking: according to Archaeology Magazine, it measures about 240 feet, or nearly 73 metres, in length. This scale points to a burial reserved for a high-ranking individual within Xiongnu society, at a time when nomadic elites competed for funerary prestige.
Archaeologists identified a small burial chamber set inside two nested wooden structures. This arrangement protected the core of the burial, where the deceased rested in a wooden coffin that preserved a rich assemblage of objects. The layering of successive enclosures is one of the features that distinguish the great elite tombs.
A Monument of Stacked Stones
To cover the burial, the builders laid nine layers of stone over more than 13 metres of depth. This massive mound offered lasting protection against looters and the weather, and kept the presence of the deceased visible in the landscape. Stone mounds, numerous across the steppes of Central Asia, reflect the social hierarchy of these populations.
Above the central burial was placed a lacquered chariot, an element that underlines the role of the vehicle in the funerary rites of nomadic elites. Lacquer, a technique of East Asian origin applied to wood, attests to artisanal skill and to exchanges across eastern Eurasia.
Glass from the Roman Empire
Among the notable objects is a transparent glass vessel with a handle, reportedly originating from the Roman Empire. Its presence several thousand kilometres from the Mediterranean attests to long-distance circulation along the routes linking Asia and Europe, well before written sources describe these exchanges in detail.
According to the reported information, a chemical analysis of the glass could confirm its place of manufacture. This type of examination, common in the study of ancient glass, compares the composition of materials with that of known workshops, which would help clarify the route the vessel followed before its deposition in the tomb.
Jade, Silver and Gold: Crossed Influences
Fifteen jade objects placed in the wooden coffin recall the ceremonial discs frequently found in Han dynasty burials in China. Their irregular shapes and detailed decoration, however, differ from Chinese pieces, which may reflect a local adaptation of Chinese funerary practices by the Xiongnu, a people who maintained relations with the Han that alternated between hostility and diplomacy.
A silver gourd-shaped pendant, decorated at its centre with a rock crystal, evokes objects found in tombs in present-day North Korea. It was used to adorn a horse's harness, a sign of the central place of horsemanship in nomadic culture. Beside it, a round gold ornament decorated with red and blue materials under a transparent crystal would be the first example of this type known from a Xiongnu tomb.
What the Discovery Adds to the Study of the Xiongnu
The Xiongnu, a confederation of nomadic peoples who dominated the steppes of Central and Eastern Asia between the 3rd century BCE and the late 2nd century CE, are known above all from Chinese sources, written by outside observers. Tomb excavations offer a direct counterpoint, grounded in the material objects and their depositional context.
This tomb enriches the record of Eurasian exchange, from the Silk Road to relations with Korea. Further analyses, particularly of the glass, should refine the chronology and provenance of the objects, a task the scientific teams have begun. For further reading, Archaeology Magazine points to "Tomb of the Silver Dragons," another Xiongnu burial excavated in north-central Mongolia.
Frequently asked questions
Who were the Xiongnu?
The Xiongnu were a confederation of nomadic peoples established in the steppes of Mongolia and Central Asia. Their empire rivalled the Han dynasty of China. They are known above all from Chinese texts and from their tombs.
Where is the Duurlig Nars necropolis?
The Duurlig Nars necropolis is located in eastern Mongolia. It yielded a monumental tomb excavated by Korean and Mongolian teams.
Why is Roman glass found in Mongolia?
Roman glass circulated along trade routes linking Asia and the Mediterranean world. Its presence in a Xiongnu tomb attests to long-distance exchange, which chemical analyses should help clarify.
What do the jade discs found in the tomb signify?
Jade discs are ritual objects associated with the elites of the Han dynasty in China. Those found at Duurlig Nars, with irregular shapes, may reflect an adapted imitation by the Xiongnu.
Sources
- Monumental Mongolian Tomb Excavated — Archaeology Magazine
Original summary written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, checked automatically, then translated from the French original. Information and quotations belong to their authors. Read the French original.
