The Deer Stone Project: Anthropological Studies in Mongolia, 2002-2004

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Bronze Age deer stone monuments of Mongolia that intrigued travelers and archaeologists became the target of modern science by a Smithsonian-Mongolian team in 2001-2004. For the first time Mongolia’s ancient "stone men" have been dated accurately to 1400-700 BCE and have been shown to be part of the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur culture. These nomadic pastoralists and warriors honored their deceased leaders with stone anthropomorphic figures ornamented with carvings of Scythian-style deer and weapon belts while their bodies were buried nearby in stone mounds. Visits to the Mongolia’s Tsaatan/Dukha people, the last reindeer-herding peoples of Central Asia helped archaeologists interpret ancient shamanic and mortuary rituals of the Deer Stone people.