Hearth Fatigue: Excavation of a Deeply Stratified Campsite from the Medieval Era in Northern Mongolia

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Exploring Long-Term Pastoral Dynamics: Methods, Theories, Stories" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Until recently there were only a few examples of deeply stratified habitation sites in Mongolia. During survey, we located an erosional gully with several hearths, an ash lens, and cultural materials. Initial radiocarbon dates indicate that the site was occupied from 1000 to 1400 CE, spanning the pre-Mongol through Yuan dynasty eras. We returned to excavate Burgastain Am to understand the habitation history of the campsite. Test units reached a depth of 3 m, and we identified 11 hearths and a meter-thick ash layer. We also found evidence for discontinuous occupation of the site with pea gravel separating cultural layers. We are currently working through recovered materials including paleobotanicals, faunal remains, ceramics, sediments, and metals. The campsite is only a few kilometers from Erchuu Khot, a Mongol era palace or temple, and we are interested in understanding the relationship between these communities. The thick layer of ash at Burgastain Am might indicate that the site was intensively occupied for a short period or that it had a longer occupation. Future work will focus on understanding chronological variation in lifeways, subsistence practices, as well as ceramic technology and design.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)   •
• Exploring Long-Term Pastoral Dynamics: Methods, Theories, Stories

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39023.0