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STONE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN MONGOLIA – MODEL-LIKE STUDY AND CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE SITE OF IKH KHÖSHÖÖT
Martina Haselberger1, Marija Milchin1*, Katharina Fuchs1, Galbadrakh Enkhbat2, Tserendorj Tsolmon2, Johannes Weber3, Gabriela Krist1
IN: SIEGESMUND, S. & MIDDENDORF, B. (EDS.): MONUMENT FUTURE: DECAY AND CONSERVATION OF STONE.
– PROCEEDINGS OF THE 14TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE DETERIORATION AND CONSERVATION OF STONE –
VOLUME I AND VOLUME II. MITTELDEUTSCHER VERLAG 2020.
1 Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria
2 National Center for Cultural Heritage, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
3 Institute of Art & Technology, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria *corresponding author
Abstract
The monument of Turegs Kul’Chur at Ikh Khöshööt is among the numerous funerary monuments spread over the Mongolian countryside dating back to the Turkic period. It comprises steles with inscriptions, humanand animal-shaped sculptures and remnants of a sarcophagus all made of different varieties of local granitoids. Since 2016, Austrian-Mongolian conservation training workshops have been held there. The aim was to preserve the site and achieve a better understanding of physical and chemical properties of the used material, weathering and decay processes and the impact of the climatic conditions and environment to the site, in-depth research that is only at the beginning in Mongolia.
Two decay patterns common for granites, delamination and disintegration, pose a considerable threat to the original substance. It is supposed that thermal loads, temperature gradient, stone-intrinsic properties including stress release (Winkler 2013) and quarrying may have caused and accelerated the decay.
Visual inspections in situ were combined with petrographic studies of samples using instrumental analysis to determine composition, structure and texture of the stone and to describe decay patterns. The combined use and evaluation of three non-destructive field tests – two tests on water absorption and ultrasonic pulse velocity measurement – enabled to characterize the degree of weathering and decay of the different stone elements. Results were put in context with surface temperature measurements to characterize heating and cooling behavior and meteorological and climate data. Thus, the hypotheses on environmental and material intrinsic factors that accelerate and contribute to decay could be partly supported. Based on the condition survey underpinned with extensive analyses, a conservation treatment concept was developed and carried out.
The Complex
Over centuries the Mongolian nomads had influenced art, culture and religion in Central Asia significantly and left a remarkable legacy including numerous funerary monuments. They are spread over the area of today’s Mongolia, often remote and far away from settlements. Among them is the monument of Ikh Khöshööt, situated in the Delgerkhaan soum (sub-district) of Tov Province in 102Eastern Mongolia. It is acknowledged as tomb for a Turkic military leader from the beginning of the 8th century. The complex comprises 15 main stone sculptures arranged over an area of many square metres. They include two rectangular steles, whereby the larger shows Turkic runic inscriptions on three sides. The other animal- and human-shaped sculptures are present in pairs, as already observed by Kotwicz and Samoïovitch (1928: 69). While the animal-like ones probably depict lions and sheeps (Kotwicz and Samoïovitch 1928), the human-likes appear as simple torsos.
In addition fragments of a former sarcophagus are lying dispersed on the West side of the complex. The original arrangement and positioning of the single objects is no longer comprehensible as the objects have been repeatedly dislocated in the framework of expeditions and site visits. Nevertheless, a linear arrangement is assumed following an axis running along the former sarcophagus and the steles with the remaining sculptures arranged alongside this straight.
