WHAT THE BRICKS TELL US FROM A TEMPLE AT BURKHAN KHALDUN MOUNTAINS: CHRONOLOGICAL INSIGHTS FROM pIRIR LUMINESCENCE

The Burkhan Khaldun Mountains (Mongolia) and its surrounding sacred landscape are associated with Genghis Khan’s birth and burial place as described in “The Secret History of the Mongols”. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 4 July 2015 under the title «Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape.”This study offered a great opportunity to apply the recently developed post-IR infrared luminescence (pIRIR) approach to feldspar using coarse and polymineral fine grain techniques and determine the manufacturing date of a brick sample associated with the ruins of the Buddhist temple at the Burkhan Khaldun Mountains. Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of different blue-grey colored bricks from various temple buildings such as the Buddhist temples in Karakorum, Dugan in Erdene Zuu and Avargyn Balgas were studied. The original place and date of manufacturing of the bricks was revealed using the pIRIR180 and pIRIR240 from coarse and fine grains from a heated feldspar sample and were 1280±40 AD and 1230±50 AD, correspondingly, which falls into the time period of extensive constructions in Karakorum

Multi-method (XRF, FTIR, TGA) analysis of ancient bricks from Karabalgasun : A preliminary study

Ancient ceramic artefacts attracted the attention of scientists as being a chronological indicator within the archaeological context; however, they can also provide information about the tech-nology and provenance. A series of brick samples from an ancient nomadic town at Karabal-gasun (Mongolia) have been analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis in order to obtain information on the performance of the kilns used and on the technological skills of ancient pot-ters

Archaeometric analysis of architectural ceramics form the site “Khustiin bulag” Tuv province, Mongolia

A series of architectural ceramics, including roof tiles and bricks from the excavation site at Khustyn Bulag, Mungunmorit soum, Tuv aimag (province) of Mongolia were subjected to detailed archaeometric analysis. We present here results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and their potential to determine the composition of brick samples from one excavation site, and their firing temperatures. In addition, yellow ochre, which is a natural earth rock pigment that contains hydrated iron oxide and represents the most common pigment of antiquity, was revealed at this excavation site. The mineral composition of ochres will be determined and the possible use of it will be discussed

LUMINESCENCE DATING OF AN ANCIENT WALLED SETTLEMENT IN ORKHON VALLEY, MONGOLIA

We investigated the potential of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) method to date young (<1000 years) samples collected in the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, Mongolia. Quartz showed an infrared signal; therefore the post-IR OSL method was applied to small aliquots which are considered proxies for single grain measurements. Statistical analysis of the dose distribution produced CAM De of 5.14±0.10 Gy and over dispersion of 47.5%, and MAM De of 3.7±0.6 Gy. Since no partial bleaching was suspected, the analysis of signal composition was done and the fast quartz post-IR OSL lead to De of 4.9±0.2 Gy. Based on the quartz fast component and CAM De we propose the new chronology of ancient construction at 785±80 AD, rather than 906-1125 AD as suggested by archaeological evidence. However, the MAM age is in good agreement with independent age control for construction of the ramparts suggesting the date of reconstruction, collapse or reuse for the square walled enclosure MOR3 during 1090±80AD

Luminescence dating of mortar and terracotta from a Royal Tomb at Ulaankhermiin Shoroon Bumbagar, Mongolia

The spectacular royal tomb “Ulaankhermiin Shoroon Bumbagar” was discovered in Bulgan province, Mongolia, in 2011. Excavation of the site revealed its internal structure; a slope of 42 meters in length leading down to the underground mausoleum at a depth of 7 m below the ground. Archaeological investigations provided the site with an independent age control suggesting the construction date of the Royal tomb to the last quarter of the VII century. In this study, we directly date different materials from the site, such as terracotta figurines, mortar and host sediment, using infrared-stimulated (IR50) and postinfrared infrared stimulated (pIRIR) luminescence techniques. The most accurate estimate of 670 ± 70AD and 550 ± 110AD was obtained for terracotta figurines using IR50 and pIRIR on aliquots of 4–11 µm polymineral grains. By comparison, sand-sized quartz single grain measurements on the embedded sediment yielded normal equivalent dose (De) distributions with a few outliers, justifying the use of the central age model (CAM) for age calculation, and yielded construction dating to the 780 ± 140AD. Finally, sand-sized quartz single grain measurements on wall mortar revealed incomplete bleaching of grains, requiring detailed analysis using statistical approaches; from this we identified the most well bleached population age of 740 ± 130AD, using the lowest 5%. The luminescence ages are in general agreement with the historically expected age. Statement of significance The archaeological site at Ulaankhermiin Shoroon Bumbagar, Mongolia (with an independent age control) offers a great opportunity to apply luminescence dating methods, such as pIRIR on 4–11 µm polymineral fine grains, and single grain measurements on 200–250 µm quartz grains, to various materials, such as terracotta figurines, mortar-like limestone which covered the walls and embedded sediment in order to test the accuracy of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating techniques. Compared to all other datable archaeological materials, mortar has the advantage of being intentionally manufactured at each stage of construction, since it cannot be recycled. However, dating of the well bleached grains of mortar, which provided the greatest challenge in this study, was achieved using the lowest 5% estimate, yielding an age of 740 ± 130AD. pIRIR on heated polymineral (feldspar-bearing) fine grain aliquots from terracotta figurines was tested, yielding IR50 and pIRIR180 dates in agreement with the CAM estimate from the host sediment. Cite this article Solongo, S., Ochir, A., Tengis, S., Fitzsimmons, K., and Hublin, J.-J. Luminescence dating of mortar and terracotta from a Royal Tomb at Ulaankhermiin Shoroon Bumbagar, Mongolia. STAR 2015; 1(2), STAR2015122054892315Y.0000000004 Data availability The authors confirm that all data underlying the findings are fully available without restriction. All relevant data are contained within the paper