Ancient historical and cultural relics of Mongolia are preserved in many corners of the world. This was reported by MiddleAsianNews.
The book titled "Mongolian Historical and Cultural Heritage in Great Britain" represents the result of a thorough analysis of previously unstudied and newly found artifacts and documents related to the history and culture of Mongolia, which are located in British institutions.
The presentation of this collection took place on February 12. It was published as part of the project "Mongolian Heritage Worldwide," which started in 2014, aimed at studying and publishing Mongolian relics.
This work is the 13th in the series and was created with the assistance of Sue Burney, a visiting researcher who made a significant contribution to the study of Mongolian Buddhism, as well as with the help of academician Chuluun Sampildondov, director of the 'Chinggis Khan' museum. The book was worked on by highly qualified international researchers, including representatives from the Imperial Asiatic Society, the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh, the British Library, and the British Museum.
The book consists of seven chapters dedicated to the following topics:
Manuscripts and artifacts of the Ilkhanate and Chagatai from British collections,
Coins of the Mongol Empire from the British Museum,
Materials from Mongolia from the 17th to the 20th centuries from the British Library and other collections,
Documents from the early 20th century from British collections.
Mongolians take pride in this 13th book, which, as part of the "World Heritage" project, is published by the National Museum 'Chinggis Khan'. It has overcome many difficulties and is now available to the public. This is not just a historical study, but also a first step towards a deeper exploration of Mongolian heritage and culture in a global context. This publication is the first to cover all aspects of Mongolia's cultural heritage released in Great Britain.
Sue Burney, the chief editor of the book, addressed from London: "Our work began with studying the collections of the British Museum and the British Library. A new hall dedicated to ceramics and metalwork of the Ilkhanate has recently opened, featuring a special exhibition of artifacts, many of which are included in this volume. Of particular interest is a 14th-century metal bag, presumably made in Mosul for a Mongolian khatun. The collection also includes notes and photographs of Mongolia taken by about 70 British travelers from 1715 to 1935. The Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain owns approximately 2500 such photographs, some of which are published in this edition for the first time.”
Another significant artifact is a bronze mandala with gold elements located in the British Museum. Dr. Surun-Khanda Syrtypova confirmed that it was made by the master Zanabazar in the 17th century. It was previously thought that the mandala had Chinese origins, but it has now been established to have Mongolian origins.
“I personally discovered several original Mongolian written sources collected along the Ezen River near Khara-Khoto, in the collection of Mark Aurelius Stein at the British Library. I am very grateful to everyone who supported me over the years in the search for this treasure,” noted Sue Burney, adding: “I hope this volume will be the first step towards new discoveries in Great Britain and the identification of many other hidden cultural relics.”
The presentation of the book, which holds significant importance in the context of "soft power" in relations between Mongolia and Great Britain, will take place in London next week.
It is known that more than 80 institutions in over 40 countries hold artifacts, documents, and photographs related to the historical and cultural heritage of Mongolia. Since 2014, the "World Heritage" project has regularly published volumes in Mongolian and English with official permissions and scholarly commentary. To date, twelve volumes have been released, dedicated to Mongolian relics in countries such as Hungary, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Japan, and Russia. This year, the release of the 14th volume, which will focus on Mongolian heritage in the Czech Republic, is expected.
