In Search of the Khutugtu's Monastery: The Site and Its Heritage

Recent excavations at the ruins of Saridag Monastery, a seventeenth-century site near Burkhan Khaldun Mountain in Mongolia, reveal significant insights into the architectural and urban planning practices of the era. Despite its challenging terrain and limited prior research, the study identified ten city ruins from this period, with Saridag Monastery being the first and most complex to investigate. Founded by Öndör Gegeen Zanabazar, the monastery's exploration, initiated in 2013, combines archaeological excavations with oral history collection, offering a rare glimpse into Mongolia's understudied historical landscape. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the feasibility of such research due to logistical and financial constraints.

Chuluun, S. (2019). In Search of the Khutugtu’s Monastery: The Site and Its Heritage. Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review, 8(2), 287–305. https://doi.org/10.1353/ach.2019.0012