Households and population at the time of the Mongol Empire - A comparison of two valleys in central Mongolia

The urban system in the context of a pastoral nomadic environment is still an inadequately understood phenomenon. For the Mongolian steppes in particular, their supply and thus the influence of these conurbations, which periodically appeared in connection with the founding of empires, on their environment is still unclear. The project addresses this question by means of various settlements in the vicinity of Karakorum, the former capital of the Mongol Empire, in order to gain a more precise understanding of their inhabitants and their economic activities. Field inspections and excavations of selected house complexes in conjunction with scientific analysis methods will provide information on the consumption of resources and the impact of activities on the environment. The results obtained can be profitably compared with the second known city of the same period, Khar Khul Khaany Balgas.

This is a sub-project of the DFG research group 5438 “The urban influence on the Mongolian Plateau: Interdependencies of urban development, economy and environment” (2023-2027).