Geoarchaeology in the Steppe-Region – towards the reconstruction of manmade landscapes in the Orkhon Valley, Central Mongolia

The main objectives of the BMBF-funded project are to answer the following questions:

• Which anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic impacts on landscape-evolution happened in this region since it´s first settlementation till today.
• Which preferences in choosing settling locations and adjustment mechanisms existed in the different times of settlementation (Palaeolithic- Iron Age- Turk/Uighuur and Mongolian Empire- Mandschu Empire)

Answering these questions provides major contribution towards:

• an extensive valuation of process-response-systems in a very sensitive eco-system, which is under influences regarding global (cultural aspect)  and global climate change (climatic aspect) as well

• an archiving of traditional knowledge, which are essential for site selection, relocation and grazing concentrations in a sustainable way of landuse management in one of the most important areas of settlement in central Asia