Ulaanbaatar
Collection of the National Museum of Mongolia: 13th century belt accessories
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. In our series of highlight artifacts being kept at the National Museum of Mongolia, we are presenting belt accessories that trace back to the 13th century.
Alongside being mentioned in the Secret History of the Mongols, it is written in historical sources that Mongolians used leather belts with iron plates or engraved decorations, with the nobility using golden belts.
The gold-coated copper belt accessories were discovered along with a deel from a site called Bukhiin khoshuu in Delgerkhaan soum, Khentii aimag. Moreover, the crystal decorations, engravings, and copper strap discovered from a tomb in Ongon soum, Sukhbaatar aimag as well as the belt accessories with chalcedony inlay that is being kept at the Hermitage Museum of Russia are rare artifacts that serve as proof that belts with stone plates were used at the time.
Engravings of various belts and its accessories can also be found in kurgae stelae.
