Ulaanbaatar
Rare Books on the Great Mongol Empire Donated to the American Center for Mongolian Studies
Society
Ulaanbaatar, May 31, 2024 /MONTSAME/. The family of the late Maury Kravitz (1932-2012), a U.S. citizen, has donated more than 120 books related to the Mongol Empire and Chinggis Khaan from his personal library to the American Center for Mongolian Studies in Mongolia.
The Book Donation Ceremony took place at the National Library of Mongolia on May 30, 2024. During the Ceremony, the National Library of Mongolia and the American Center for Mongolian Studies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Under the MoU, the two sides will display an exhibition featuring Maury Kravitz’s collection of books to the public for one month. Also, in cooperation with the Chinggis Khaan Heritage and Cultural Institute of Mongolia, they will put the collection into academic circulation.
During his lifetime, history aficionado Maury Kravitz collected more than 400 rare and precious research books about the Mongol Empire and Chinggis Khaan from every corner of the world. From this personal library, his children and grandchildren presented over 120 rare and valuable books and manuscripts to the American Center for Mongolian Studies, making them accessible to local and international Mongolists and young researchers.
The granted books include the finest works for understanding the livelihood, history, religion, and politics of the Great Mongol Empire and the life of Chinggis Khaan such as:
- The first edition of History of Genghis Khan (1860) by Jacob Abbott,
- The Mongol World Empire(1977) by John Andrew Boyle,
- The Riddles of the Gobi Desert(1933) by Sven Anders Hedin,
- The Conqueror of the World: The Life of Chingis (Genghis) Khan (1966) by Rene Grousset.
Also, there are book notes by Maury Kravitz himself, rare and precious books presented by Mongolian scholars with their signatures to Maury Kravitz, and map appendices.
A true appreciator of the history of the Mongol Empire and Chinggis Khaan, Maury Kravitz raised USD 1.2 million for the search for the Great Khaan's tomb and led several expeditions in pursuit of the historical mystery.
