Interview with Dr. D. Erdenebaatar, Distinguished Scientist of Mongolia and archaeologist.

The Time Has Come to Recognize a 3,500-Year Tradition of Statehood in Mongolia

– We celebrate our National Naadam as the 2,233rd anniversary of the founding of the Mongolian state. According to your argument, should it not be the 3,500th anniversary instead?

– Indeed, it should. What we currently commemorate is the year when Modu Chanyu ascended the throne. Yet before Modu there was Tümen Chanyu, and before Tümen there were at least three earlier rulers.

One day, Mongolia will have every reason to celebrate the 3,500th anniversary of its statehood. The possibility now exists.

The Deer Stone–Khirigsuur culture, which we mentioned earlier, represents the earliest state formation on Mongolian territory. Chinese historians themselves have written that such a polity existed in the north. Moreover, the royal and aristocratic burials of the Khangai region provide further evidence. This is not an invention; it is supported by archaeology.

Whether and when the state officially recognizes this anniversary is, of course, a matter for the government. Yet it is peculiar that while many nations strive to push their history further into the past, we often do the opposite.

China, for example, proudly proclaims a 5,000-year history of statehood. Around 4,500 years ago, the Zhou people were already recording wars with a northern people whose emblems were the deer and the white wolf—symbols that correspond remarkably with our Deer Stone culture.

The Deer Stones themselves seem to tell us:

“We are your ancestors.”

Therefore, I believe the day is not far off when Mongolia will celebrate the 3,500th anniversary of the emergence of statehood on its territory.

“The Xiongnu Were Not Mongols” – A View Some Still Refuse to Abandon

– Have Russian scholars revised their old interpretations of the Scythians and Siberian cultures?

– Somewhat. Today they speak of the Scythians and the Xiongnu together. Yet they continue to insist that “the Xiongnu were not Mongols.”

Likewise, Turkey continues to claim our ancestors as its own. Such interpretations are deeply problematic. Historically speaking, we are dealing with entirely different peoples and traditions.

Ancient Customs Reveal Our Continuity

– Is burial practice one of the clearest indications that the people of 3,500 years ago were indeed our ancestors?

– Absolutely. Ethnic and funerary traditions provide powerful evidence of continuity.

Take a simple example. In Mongolia it is considered inappropriate to serve tea in a cracked bowl. Archaeology shows that bowls placed in burials were deliberately broken. A cracked vessel belonged not to the living, but to the dead.

The custom of placing a stone beneath the head of the deceased is also very ancient. Though many Mongols have forgotten the original meaning, elements of the practice remain.

Likewise, certain foods are never served to honored guests because they were traditionally associated with funerary offerings.

The Xiongnu worshipped the sun at dawn and the moon at dusk. Even today Mongols greet the rising sun with reverence and prayers. During Tsagaan Sar, people climb hilltops at sunrise. Many now see it as merely a festive custom, yet in reality it preserves a very ancient form of solar worship.

Our pastoral way of life itself is one of the clearest signs that many of our fundamental cultural traditions have remained unchanged.

Archaeology and the Struggle for Historical Interpretation

– Which of your discoveries has affected you the most?

– Every discovery is moving in its own way.

I have excavated two or three hundred tombs during my life, and perhaps only ten percent contained valuable objects. Yet even a single bone can be an important archaeological find.

The excavation of the elite Xiongnu tombs at Gol Mod was truly astonishing. We never expected to uncover such treasures.

“Those Who Pay for the Music Choose the Tune”

Dr. Erdenebaatar also recalled his cooperation with French archaeologists.

Although Mongolian scholars played a central role in the research, the resulting documentary largely presented the discoveries as if they had been made solely by foreign researchers.

“Those who pay for the music often choose the tune,” he remarked.

This experience reinforced his determination to demonstrate that Mongolians are fully capable of conducting and interpreting research on their own past.

The Need for a National Policy in Archaeology

Today more than thirty foreign archaeological expeditions work in Mongolia each year, coming from Germany, Poland, Russia, China, South Korea, Israel, and many other countries.

Dr. Erdenebaatar welcomes international cooperation but argues that the state must establish clear policies to protect national interests and ensure that Mongolia’s history is interpreted responsibly.

Many foreign researchers focus almost exclusively on the Xiongnu because such sites are more likely to yield spectacular artifacts. Meanwhile, the Stone Age and Bronze Age remain understudied due to high costs and fewer material rewards.

A Final Reflection

“It is far better to remain an ordinary archaeologist than to earn a doctorate by writing the history of our ancestors incorrectly.”

— Dr. D. Erdenebaatar