Khöshöö Tsaidam and the Orkhon Inscriptions

History

In the 730s the Second Göktürk Khaganate raised two great memorial complexes in the Orkhon valley: one for the prince and commander Kültegin, who died in 731, and one for his brother Bilge Qaghan, who died in 734. Their stone steles carry long inscriptions in the Old Turkic runic script, with Chinese texts on the reverse.

The inscriptions recount the history of the Turks, their subjection to the Tang and their revival, and warn future generations against the 'sweet words and soft silks' of China. They are among the oldest surviving texts in any Turkic language and a founding document of Turkic political identity.

The steles were rediscovered by the Russian explorer Nikolai Yadrintsev in 1889, and the script was deciphered by the Danish scholar Vilhelm Thomsen in 1893. In 2008 the Göktürk Museum opened on the site, built with Turkish support, to protect the original monuments; copies stand at the memorial sites.

What to See

• The original Kültegin and Bilge Qaghan steles, now inside the Göktürk Museum
• Copies of the steles and the remains of the memorial complexes on the open steppe
• Finds from more than a century of excavation at the site

Visiting

• About 40 km north of Kharkhorin in Khashaat soum, Arkhangai; most visitors come on a day trip from Kharkhorin.
• A 4x4 or a tour vehicle is the most practical way to reach the site.
• Check museum opening hours locally before travelling, especially outside the summer season.

Distances and travel times are approximate. Check local conditions, opening hours and permits before you travel.