Archaeological perspectives on early 17th century Mongolian Buddhist temples: a study of Olon baishin and Kheseg baishin

Urtnasan Enkhbayar¹*

*Corresponding Author: Urtnasan Enkhbayar

¹Institute of History and Ethnology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences Department of Ancient History, urtnasane@mas.ac.mn

Digital Object Identifier:  

https://doi.org/10.53468/mifyr.2025.05.01.101

Abstract – In the territory of Ikhet sum, Dornogovi province of Mongolia, there are the remains of buildings known as “Olon baishin” and “Kheseg baishin”. Excavation research was conducted
in 2018 and 2019 as part of the “Cities of 17th -century Mongolia” project by the Institute of History and Ethnology of the Academy of Sciences. The inscription on a light monument in front
of Kheseg baishin mentions the people who founded the temple. However, there was no specific information available about Olon baishin. Through our excavation research at these two sites, we
were able to establish a more precise timeline for the construction of these monuments. Additionally, during the excavation of Olon baishin, a manuscript page was discovered, which is
an important find reflecting the writing culture of the Mongols in the 16th -17th centuries. Based on previous research on Kheseg baishin and Olon baishin, as well as our own excavation findings,
we conclude that these monuments were Buddhist temples built in the early 17th century, following the Tibetan-Chinese style and belonging to the Gelug (Yellow Hat) sect.

Keywords— 17th century, Buddhism, Archaeology, Gelug sect, Tibetan-Chinese style

Article History: Received 10 March 2025, Received in revised form 11 March 2025, Accepted 28 March 2025

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