With each pass, another stone. Ovoo at the heart of heritage, environment, and conflict

Ovoos, stone cairns in Mongolia's Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape, serve as dynamic markers of both ecological and political significance. They grow with human interaction, embodying spiritual power and historical memory while mediating conflicts that intertwine environmental and cultural heritage. The study highlights how three heritage bearers leverage ovoos to access more-than-human networks, preserving heritage through their interactions. This research sheds light on the entanglement of environmental and cultural dimensions in conflict mediation within UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Hutchins, K. G. (2021). With each pass, another stone. Ovoo at the heart of heritage, environment, and conflict. Études Mongoles et Sibériennes, Centrasiatiques et Tibétaines, 52. https://doi.org/10.4000/emscat.5165