Noin-Ula Kurgans
Noyon Uul · Xiongnu Royal Tombs
Xiongnu Empire (~200 BCE – 100 CE)·Xiongnu (Hsiung-nu nomadic empire)·🇲🇳 Tov Province, Selenge Basin, Mongolia
About
About Noin-Ula Kurgans
Forested ridge north of Ulaanbaatar concealing over 200 deep shaft-tombs (6–18 m deep) of the Xiongnu steppe empire that confronted Han China. Pyotr Kozlov's 1924 excavation uncovered felt carpets embroidered with Greco-Bactrian motifs, Han lacquer cups inscribed 'Shangfang', and Roman-style glass beads, evidencing a 6,000-km exchange network from Rome to Korea via the steppe. Square ramped barrows reach 30 m side.
Why it mattersForested ridge north of Ulaanbaatar concealing over 200 deep shaft-tombs (6–18 m deep) of the Xiongnu steppe empire that confronted Han China. Pyotr Kozlov's 1924 excavation uncovered felt carpets emb
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Roman glass and Bactrian embroidery in nomad chieftain tomb – diplomatic gift or looted trade?
- 02Why deep shafts instead of Scythian stone cairns
Theories
- 01Xiongnu as hybrid empire using Han silk as political currency
- 02Shamanic depth cosmology requiring underworld shaft burial
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.50 BCE – 50 CE (Ulp grave 6 dated 9 BCE)
- Period
- Xiongnu Empire (~200 BCE – 100 CE)
- Culture
- Xiongnu (Hsiung-nu nomadic empire)
- Purpose
- Deep shaft-tombs of Xiongnu chanyus with Chinese silks and Roman glass
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.50 BCE – 50 CE (Ulp grave 6 dated 9 BCE)
Initial construction
c. 1150 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
48.5000° N · 106.8000° E · 1300 m · 2 mapped features
Noin-Ula Kurgan 6 (Ulp)
shaft tombDeep ramped shaft with log chamber, silk and Roman glass
48.5010° N · 106.8020° ENoin-Ula Kurgan 25
shaft tombChanyu tomb with lacquered chariot and felt embroideries
48.4980° N · 106.7980° E