Friday 10 March, 13.00-14.00
Uranchimeg Ujeed (University of Cambridge) and Daruhan Peng (Inner Mongolia University)
A mysterious Khitan Tomb: Possible evidence of Proto-Mongolic shaman
The para-Mongol Khitan people founded a vast empire known as Liao dynasty (916–1125) and ruled Mongolia and portions of the eastern coast of Siberia now known as the Russian Far East, northern Korea, and North China.
Hundreds of Khitan tombs from the Liao period have been discovered, among which a noble lady’s tomb from Tuguljin Uul (吐尔基山辽墓）in Eastern Inner Mongolia was found unique in in terms of size, architecture, materiality, funeral Objects and body treatment etc.
In this presentation we would like to show how the unique features of Tuguljin Uul tomb in comparison with the typical features of other Khitan tombs, and examine the distinctive shamanistic features of it in the religious context of Khitan people.