Ulaanbaatar, August 14, 2023 /MONTSAME/. The following is an interview with Ms. Yusupova Tatiana – Leading Researcher, Doctor of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg Branch of the Institute for the History of Science and Technology.

How many times have you been visiting Mongolia to attend this event?

I have been working with Mongolian colleagues for quite a long time, for over twenty years. I am engaged in the history of science, history of archaeology, and history of excavations in Mongolia, particularly the history of excavations in Noyon-Uul, which was first discovered by Pyotr Kuzimich Kozlov, Mongolian-Tibetan expedition, in 1923. Some items from those excavations are displayed here in the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, but the main items are in the National Museum of History. I see how Mongolia has changed, and how Ulaanbaatar has changed over 20 years. I think this museum of Chinggis Khaan must have been set up a long time ago. This is the museum of national idea, national history, and national pride.

I understand it is your ninth congress. What is distinctive about this Congress?

First of all, I would like to stress that the organization of the event is great. In principle, Mongol studies are developing, broadening. Anyhow, Mongol studies are classical, academic disciplines. We are extending the source base, we are adding new facts to historical events, we are studying, and comparing language, folklore etc. Yes, Mongolia today is new, in the 21^st century. These are some political situations, some economic issues, but they are a bit far away from the classical Mongol studies. Therefore, I can say what is new about the Mongol studies is a glance at Mongolia in the 21^st century from the benchmark of classical Mongol studies.    

I was first invited by the prominent Mongolian academician Sh. Bira to the 8^th International Congress of Mongolists in 2002, which was one of the biggest congresses gathering, if I am not mistaken, over a thousand scholars, a huge representation. That was a discovery for me indeed, how very extensive the Mongol studies were. That was the beginning of the millennium, the wave of new times, openness of borders, openness of Eastern European countries, and openness of Mongolia, which was attracting great interest. Then in 2005, your prominent archaeologist Erdenebaatar organized an international conference dedicated to the 80^th anniversary of the Mongolian-Tibetan expedition of Pyotr Kuzimich Kozlov and excavation in the famous Noyon-Uul. We first met in Ulaanbaatar, then went to Noyon-Uul and the conference itself took place in Sukhbaatar, where there were representatives of Hungary, Germany, the United States, and France. I was really impressed by seeing the place where Kozlov had worked, I saw what barrows and Hunnu elite burials looked like. In 2006 there was a consecutive congress of Mongolists. In 2008 I was invited by the Russian Embassy in Mongolia to attend the conference on Russian-Mongolian cooperation together with Russian diaspora. In Mongolia in December that year it was minus 38 degrees. I was full of anxiety when coming, but it turned out minus 38 degrees in Mongolia, with high sun and blue sky was completely normal. In other places with high humidity even minus 15 degrees is very nasty.

Dr. Yusupova was awarded the highest civilian award Mongolia presents to a foreign citizen, the Order of the Polar Star by the President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa for her valuable contribution to the Mongol Studies alongside a dozen of other Mongolists.

At the 12th International Congress of Mongolists, Dr. Yusupova delivered a presentation titled "Experience in Visualizing the History of the Country: Mongolia in Photographs Series". Academician S. Chuluun initiated a compilation of 10 volumes of photographs and Dr. Yusupova was one of the co-authors.  

“The ten volumes of the series contain about two and a half thousand photographs of  Mongolia and the Mongols, made from 1879 to 1936. Their authors were people of different nationalities, cultures, social affiliations, and professional activities: Russians, British, Danes, and Norwegians; scientists and businessmen, a diplomat and missionaries, a hunter, and an engineer; men and two women. The purposes of their stay in Mongolia were also different: scientific research, work, trade, and just a desire to get to become acquainted with the unknown country, its people, and its culture. For some, photography was a tool for scientific research, for others it was a way of transferring new geographical, ethnographic, and mental knowledge.” 

“Quite often, they photographed the same objects, events, landscapes, similar routine daily life scenes. However, despite the apparent plot similarity of the pictures, they are all different, because they are filled with the emotions and moods of certain people at a specific historical moment. Each of them created his own image of Mongolia, and all together they created a collective, very vivid photo portrait of the country at the end of the 19th - the first third of the 20th centuries.

Readers have a unique opportunity to learn the details of the Mongols' everyday life and get acquainted with their cultural and religious tradition, and Mongolia's natural landscapes. In addition, the photographs testify socio-political events and changes in the country, reflect its international links and relations with its neighbors – Russia and China.”

We present some of the photos of the “Mongolia in Photographs” series.