newly discovered walled enclosure of the Mongol Empire period in the Orkhon Valley, Mongolia

A previously undocumented walled enclosure from the Mongol Empire period (13th/14th century CE) has been discovered on the eastern bank of the Orkhon River in Arkhangai aimag, Mongolia. This rare find, documented using a fixed-wing eBee X drone for high-resolution aerial surveying, provides new evidence of intensive urban development during the Mongol Empire's peak. The enclosure's design and associated artifacts suggest it was a short-lived but significant settlement, contributing to our understanding of the Orkhon Valley's cultural landscape as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Comparative analysis with known examples from the period further contextualizes its role in regional trade and governance.

Bemmann, J., Heimermann, P., Munkhbayar, L., & Reichert, S. (2023). newly discovered walled enclosure of the Mongol Empire period in the Orkhon Valley, Mongolia. Studia Archaeologica, 100–104. https://doi.org/10.5564/sa.v43i2.3190