The Mysterious Steles of Mongolia

The Tsatsyn Ereg necropolis, located in Arkhangai Province, is being studied by an international team as part of a joint archeological mission between Monaco and Mongolia, under the direction of the Musée d’Anthropologie préhistorique de Monaco and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. One hundred and thirteen deer stones have been found on this site measuring 200 square kilometers.

Located 250 kilometers from Tsatsyn Ereg, this extremely rare stele with an anthropomorphic head, measuring 2.6 meters in height, was modeled in 3D. It can now be studied more easily and shared with other scientists.

The “deer stones” of Mongolia are part of multi-hectare funerary complexes, and are surrounded by hundreds of stone grave mounds. A horsehead was left beneath each mound. Here we see the remains of a skull.

The representation of deer follows the same graphic codes from one site to another: elongated muzzle, disproportionate antlers, bodies stretched toward the sky. Deer were probably tasked with leading the souls of the dead toward the afterlife.

Three thousand years later, Mongol nomads continue to crisscross the plains of Tsatsyn Ereg and breed horses. The scientific team is also exploring their ancient know-how.