21 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Mysterious Mongolian Arc in Eastern Mongolia Studied for the First Time

Researchers have studied the 405-km wall system in eastern Mongolia known as the Mongolian Arc to learn more about its history and purpose. The “Mongolian Arc” consists of an earthen wall, a trench, and 34 structures.

This section of the Great Wall of China that extends into Mongolia has been analyzed for the first time, allowing them to present some speculative insights into the history and function of this enormous structure.

Running roughly parallel to the border between China and Mongolia, the ancient barrier extends from Sukhbaatar Province to Dornod Province in northeastern Mongolia, where winter temperatures often fall as low as -25 degrees Celsius (-13 degrees Fahrenheit).

Based on historical records, researchers suggest that the entire system was built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD, but archaeological studies to date are insufficient to more accurately date the construction times of its different parts.

The study authors analyzed the wall and its associated structures using satellite images, Chinese atlases, and Soviet maps in addition to direct field observations, noting that “the Mongolian Arc, despite its magnitude, has been largely overlooked in existing academic discourse.”

In their paper published in the Journal of Field Archaeology, the team describes the techniques and technology they used to study the wall.

Researchers’ most striking finding was that the Mongolian Arc contains numerous large gaps, suggesting that it was built in a hurry and therefore never fully fortified. There is also evidence that suggests the wall was built as a means of controlling the movement of people or animals or perhaps as a part of a taxation scheme.

“One possible explanation for the gaps, which were points of vulnerability in the system, is that the Mongolian Arc was hastily built during the final years of the Jin dynasty as a defense against the expected invading Mongol armies,” write the researchers.

Such theories arose as it became clear that the wall would not have served as much of a barrier—many of its outposts, for example, were in locations with limited views into the surrounding territory.

The entire wall system to which the Mongolian Arc belongs has received different names in the research literature. It has been called the “Jin border trench”, the “Jin long wall,” and the “Liao-Jin Wall”.

It is also one of the most enigmatic long wall and trench systems in Chinese and Mongolian history. Despite its size and complexity, it is unclear when it was constructed, who built it, and for what purpose.

It is not even clear whether the entire array of walls was built at the same time or if, as researchers hypothesize, it is an accumulation of different projects built over a long period of time.

Researchers believe the Mongolian Arc has received much less attention than other long wall (or Great Wall) constructions in the history of this region, possibly due to the uncertainties associated with its construction and use, the fact that it is located in remote areas, and the fact that it is not visually impressive.

The study authors are currently unable to make any definitive statements regarding the purpose of the Mongolian Arc, although they are planning to conduct more extensive excavations of some of the structures in an upcoming field season. This, they hope, will help them to determine the wall’s “construction dates and duration of use, and shed light on the activities of the people stationed in these enclosures.”

DOI: 10.1080/00934690.2023.2295198

Cover Photo: Drone photo of Khaltaryn Balgas (MA21). Photo: Journal of Field Archaeology

Related Articles

In northern Iran, a hand-dug passageway was discovered used for military purposes during the Qajar era

1 August 2021

1 August 2021

A hand-dug underground passage dating from the Qajar era (1794-1925), once believed to have served military purposes, has been discovered...

Archaeologists in Israel are restoring the largest Roman Basilica in the country

6 June 2021

6 June 2021

Archaeologists in Israel are trying to rebuild a 2,000-year-old Roman-era basilica that is thought to be the country’s biggest. A...

2.3-meter sword found in 4th-century tomb in Japan

27 January 2023

27 January 2023

The largest bronze mirror and the largest “dako” iron sword in Japan were discovered at the Tomio Maruyama burial mound...

A collection of 430 burial objects found in the tomb of a 3000-year-old Noblewoman in China

11 April 2024

11 April 2024

A tomb belonging to a noblewoman dating back about 3,000 years has been unearthed in North China’s Shanxi Province. The...

The World’s Oldest Mummies “Chile’s Ancient Mummies Older than Egypt’s”

20 February 2024

20 February 2024

At the beginning of the 20th century, mummies dating back 2000 years before the Egyptians were found in the Atacama...

The discovery of a 380-million-year-old heart sheds new light on our bodies’ evolution

16 September 2022

16 September 2022

Researchers from Curtin University have discovered the world’s oldest heart in a ‘beautifully preserved’ ancient jawed fish fossil 380 million...

Archaeologists Reveals Rare Evidence of Early Human Presence in Tajikistan

6 November 2024

6 November 2024

Archaeologists have discovered a multi-layered archaeological site in the Zeravshan Valley of central Tajikistan that reveals early human settlement in...

‘Bakery Prison’ found in Ancient Rome’s Pompeii

12 December 2023

12 December 2023

Archaeologists working on the ongoing excavations in Region IX, Insula 10, near the slopes of the ancient city of Pompeii,...

New Archaeological Discoveries in Abu Dhabi shed light on Umm an-Nar Bronze Age culture (2700-2000 BCE)

1 February 2024

1 February 2024

New findings demonstrate the resilience and inventiveness of local Bronze Age societies (Umm an-Nar Bronze Age culture), as well as...

Unique 2,000-year-old Decorated Roman Sandal Discovered in Spain

20 October 2023

20 October 2023 1

A 2,000-year-old Roman sandal was discovered during archaeological excavations at Lucus Asturum (modern-day Lugo de Llanera) in Asturias, northern Spain....

1650-Year-Old Earthen Grills Unearthed in Assos Excavations

14 August 2021

14 August 2021

Excavations continue in Assos Ancient City, a rich settlement of the period, which is located within the borders of Behramkale...

Illegal digs reveal rare Roman-era mass grave in Turkey

28 July 2022

28 July 2022

A total of 27 skeletons were found in a burial pit carved into the rocks in Adıyaman province, an important...

Philippines Cagayan Cave Art 3500 Years Old

29 June 2021

29 June 2021

A depiction depicting a human-like figure on a cave wall in Penablanca town, Cagayan province, is Southeast Asia’s first directly...

Archaeology team discovers a 7,000-year-old and 13-hectare settlement in Serbia

30 April 2024

30 April 2024

Researchers have discovered a previously unknown Late Neolithic settlement near the Tamiš River in Northeast Serbia. The discovery was made...

Where We Saw Sin, There Was Care: A Baby Buried in a Medieval Belgian Brothel

23 May 2025

23 May 2025

A medieval brothel in Belgium yields a discovery that forces historians to confront forgotten tenderness in places long seen only...