Joint Turkish-Mongolian delegation on the trail of Turkic History in Orkhon Valley

In recent years, Türkiye has stepped up its efforts to preserve historical artifacts found in ancestral lands which constitute very important resources of Turkish history.

The delegation in Mongolia taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Bilge Tonuyukuk Museum and the panel "Turkish Cultural Heritage and Wise Tonyukuk in Mongolia", which was held on the sidelines of the visits made by the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy to the country, oversaw the work conducted in the Orkhon Valley.

Along with the head of TIKA Central Asia and Caucasus Department Dr. Ali Özgün Öztürk, among other participants in field studies with the Mongolian authorities were: Yeditepe University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Tasagil, Izmir Katip Celebi University Lecturer Prof. Dr. Saban Dogan, T.C. Advisor to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, historian Dr. Ali İhsan Çağlar and TİKA Ulanbator Program Coordinator Emrah Ustaömer.

The Turkish delegation was accompanied by İKÇÜ-MUIS Turcology Research Institute Director Dr. Ankhbayar Danuu, Professor of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Enkhtur Altangerel, Mongolian Science and Technology University Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Erdenebold Lkhagvasuren.

The delegation, which oversaw the work being carried out in the Orkhon Valley and its surroundings, visited the archaeological sites in the Nomgon valley and discussed the progress of the excavation area where the monument complex, which was revealed to belong to Kutluk Kağan in August 2022, and was briefed by Assoc. Dr. Enkhtur Altangerel about other archaeological sites where excavations can be made in the valley,

Assoc. Dr. Erdenebold Lkhagvasuren also gave the team important information about the city's ruins in the region and stated that Türkiye and Mongolia can work together on the excavations, underlining that there are important needs that will have to be met in this area.

Mongolian and Turkish scientists stated that a scientific publication, entitled "Kutluk Kağan Memorial Complex and Written Bitigstone", will be made in Türkiye in the coming days regarding the discovery, and stated that new research on the subject will continue.

The delegation, consisting of scientists from the two countries, then examined the areas considered to belong to the Gokturk and Uyghur periods, which will serve as a source for language, history, and culture studies in many regions of Mongolia, especially the Orkhon Valley.

Emphasizing that there is a need for new scientific collaborations in areas where important cultural assets are located, the academicians stated that they can submit detailed reports and project proposals on areas where joint excavations can be made if needed.

The field research study ended with a visit to the Bilge Kağan Museum commissioned by TIKA in 2008.

Speaking at the inauguration of the panel on "Turkish Cultural Heritage in Mongolia and Wise Tonyukuk" organized by the Turkish Historical Society in the capital Ulan Bator, President of the Turkish Historical Society Prof. Dr. Birol Çetin stated that Turkish and Mongolian scientists would start joint archaeological research in Mongolia and Van-Aladağ.