THOUGHTS ON FIELDWORK IN
MONGOLIA: THE GOBI
Obviously, the
basic considerations inherent in participating in any archaeological field
project are pertinent to Mongolia as well; thus the following recommendations
are intended only as supplemental guidelines.
RECOMMENDED
ESSENTIALS:
·
Layerable,
primarily cotton, clothing 1
·
Sturdy
shoes (lightweight hiking boots with ankle support are
recommended; mountaineering boots are unnecessary)
·
Sunglasses (dark glass lenses; pack a spare pair)
·
Hats (one broad-brimmed with a
chin-strap for sun, one knit cap for warmth) 2
·
Camera (35mm or digital), film/memory cards, spare batteries, dust-proof bag
·
Large
folding knife (MicroTech and Spyderco knives are particularly well-made)
·
Pocket
Multi-Tool (such tools are made by a variety of companies; see
www.toolsforstagecraft.com/n309.htm)
·
Small,
high intensity flashlight (plus spare bulbs & batteries)3
·
Compass
and Global Positioning System (GPS) 4
·
Field
notebooks (e.g., Keuffel & Esser’s Cross Section Book, K&E
#82 0056 or equivalent)
·
Pens
(permanent black ink) and Pencils
(black HB lead & colored)
·
8-10X
monocular or compact binoculars
·
10X
magnifying loupe
·
Self-locking
plastic freezer bags (several sizes, including some large enough to seal
cameras, laptop computers, etc. Sharpie-type
permanent black pens to write on plastic bags)
·
Personal
water bottle (at least one liter; Platypus bags are very handy), cup & eating utensils
·
Water
filter (see pages 4-5)
·
Basic
individual first-aid kit, including sterile disposable syringes and needles (the
Savvy Traveler from Adventure Medical Kits is a good choice)
·
Lip balm (bring
two)
·
Insect
repellent (100% DEET is recommended)
·
Sunscreen (at
least SPF 30; zinc oxide creme for those with particularly sun-sensitive skin)
·
Eye drops
(sterile tears) 5
·
Gastro-intestinal
medications (e.g., Tagamet, Maalox, Imodium, prescription Lomotil,
etc.)
·
Cold
medications (e.g.
Sudafed, Tavist-D, Drixoral, etc.)6
·
Adequate
supply of other personal medications, toiletries, a detergent concentrate (e.g., Camp-Suds), and clothes-pins 7
1At least one sweater/windbreaker combination is
suggested. Ideally, the windbreaker
should be a ¾-length Gore-Tex parka with a hood and removable fleece
liner. The Gobi, even at mid-summer,
can be cold with dramatic day/night temperature differentials. Protection from the sun, wind, and sand are
of paramount consideration.
Since personal hygiene is a
problem in the field due to limited water supplies (plan on having a
bucket-bath only once a week), carrying sufficient changes of underclothing and
socks is far more important than outerwear.
“Moist towelettes” or baby wipes are handy for between-shower
hygiene. Rudimentary laundry facilities
will be available several times during the summer.
Occasional rain, some heavy, is
expected. You need not bring
specialized rain gear if your windbreaker is capable of shedding water,
although a trekking umbrella is handy (Sea to Summit makes a particularly
sturdy and compact model; see www.seatosummit.com.au/tumbrella.php?cat=access). Shower shoes (flip-flops or Teva-type
sandals) and a swimsuit are useful for bathing in the field. Lightweight thermal underwear is recommended
as a first clothing layer for the occasional cold day and for sleeping. (Remember: Ulaanbaatar and the Hanggai
Plateau can be significantly cooler than the Gobi).
Women should pack a
compression-type “sports” bra in anticipation of long jeep trips over rough
roads.
2In addition to a broad-brimmed hat, a
cotton scarf (e.g., an Arab kaffiyeh or
shemagh, or a Berber-Tuareg chèche) that can be used in a variety of
configurations for protection from the sun and wind is a good idea.
3Sure-Fireâ lights are compact and powerful but
LED lights, though not as bright, suffice for most needs and are vastly more
efficient (remember that batteries are heavy!). Emissive Energy Corporation’s Inova X5 LED Floodlightâ and 24/7â multifunction
headlamp (www.inovalight.com) and Arc Flashlight’s Model LSH-P
(www.arcflashlight.com) are state-of-the-art.
See also www.theledlight.com and www.ccrane.com for additional
background information.
4The Brunton Pocket Transit (waterproof International
Model or Geo Transit), Suunto KB-14 or MC-1D, or Silva Ranger (Model 15) are
especially recommended, although Silva compasses (and the Suunto MC-1D), being
plastic, are less durable and attract dust due to static electricity. Small Silva compasses (e.g., Models 26 &
27) are excellent back-up compasses.
Although compasses graduated in quadrants
are more familiar to many American field workers, those with azimuth
graduations are more commonly used outside the US. The Expedition relies mostly on Global Positioning Systems for
orienteering and in-field cartography.
The Garmin eTrex Summit™ is an efficient unit combining a GPS, flux-gate
compass, and barometric altimeter. The
AltiTech multifunction instrument, distributed by HighGear
(www.highgearusa.com) is a compact altimeter, barometer, digital compass,
watch, and chronograph that is a useful supplement to a traditional GPS.
5Contact
lenses should be avoided due to the risk of developing corneal ulcers while
wearing contact lenses in remote places.
Eyeglass wearers should carry a spare pair.
6Respiratory and eye maladies are a special problem
in Central Asia and are compounded by dust in arid regions and excavations in
caves. Those with allergies to dust
should carry disposable filter-masks. See Page 12 for recommended prescription
medications. See also www.travmed.com.
7Remedies for minor gastrointestinal upsets are
recommended. Women, especially, should
carry a prescription-strength sulfa drug (e.g., Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim
800/160 mg tablets) to treat possible urinary tract infections. It is recommended that women take a
sugar-free cranberry juice concentrate daily, such as AIM’s Cranverryâ caplets
(www.theaimcompanies.com) to help avoid UTIs.
Women should also carry one 150mg tablet of Fluconazole (e.g., Diflucanâ) in the
event of a Candida (“yeast”)
infection. See Page 12 for recommended prescription medications.
INDIVIDUAL
LUGGAGE LIMITATIONS:
·
One carry-on bag
(preferably an internal frame back-pack)
·
One personal
check-through bag (duffel-bag or other soft luggage only; a PVC “white-water” duffel-bag, sealed against water, is
recommended)
·
One check-through
container (a hard-sided suitcase will suffice); unlocked for airport inspection
(each person will be expected to transport a portion of the Expedition’s
rations and field equipment).
SOURCES
OF FIELD EQUIPMENT:
In Tucson:
Miller’s Surplus (406 N. 6th Avenue,
622-4777; good values, great selection)
Popular Outdoor Outfitters
(several locations; good values, best prices in town on GPSs)
The Sports Authority (several locations; see sporting goods
and snow sports sections)
Summit Hut (5045 E. Speedway, 325-1554 & 605
E. Wetmore, 888-1000; knowledgeable and well-stocked but over-priced)
Tucson Blueprint (537 N. 6th Avenue,
624-8881; Brunton Compasses, K&E Field Notebooks)
Mail order and on-line catalogues:
Triple
Aught Design Gear, Inc. (95 Linden
Street, Suite 8, Oakland, California 94607, 510/465-5110; www.tadgear.com)
Forestry
Suppliers, Inc. (205 W. Rankin
St., P.O. Box 8397, Jackson, Mississippi 39284-8397, 601/354-3565;
www.forestry-suppliers.com)
Miners, Inc. (PO Box 1301, Riggins, Idaho
83549-1301, 800/824-7452)
Carolina
Biological Supply Co. (2700 York
Road, Burlington, North Carolina 27215, 919/584-0381)
Brigade
Quartermasters (1025 Cobb
International Boulevard, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144-4300, 404/428-1234;
www.actiongear.com)
U.S.
Cavalry (2855 Centennial
Avenue, Radcliff, Kentucky 40160-9000, 502/351-1164; www.uscav.com)
Cheaper
Than Dirt! (2536 NE Loop 820,
Fort Worth, Texas 76106-1809, 888/625-2506; www.cheaperthandirt.com; excellent
prices on all outdoor equipment)
The
LED Light (3668 Silverado
Drive, Carson City, Nevada 89705, 775/267-3170; www.theledlight.com)
The
Brunton Company (620 East
Monroe, Riverton, Wyoming; compasses & binoculars)
Travel
Medicine (369 Pleasant
Street, Northampton, Massachusetts 01060; 800/872-8633; www.travmed.com; first
aid kits and supplies)
INDIVIDUAL
EXCAVATION & OTHER FIELD EQUIPMENT:
Major
excavation equipment will be provided however each Expedition member will be
expected to provide his/her own small dig kit including, but not limited to, a
trowel, dental picks, paintbrushes, compass, line-level, and a 5-meter tape.
You should bring your own sleeping bag
(for the Gobi, a mummy bag rated to 0° F, with a silk or fleece liner is
best; for cautionary information regarding sleeping bag temperature ratings,
see www.backpackinglight.com/index/article.asp?did=92). A Therm-a-Rest™ type self-inflating pad,
although expensive, is comfortable, provides superior insulation from the
ground, and is relatively easy to pack (especially the ¾-length backpacker models).
If you
have a lightweight, low profile tent capable of shedding wind, bring it
along. The Expedition has several tents
in addition to the rather less efficient military tents supplied by the
Russians, but extra housing will be welcome!
THE
BOTTOM LINE:
Prepare
for a wide range of diurnal temperatures, from hot (relatively few days) to
downright cold (quite often). Nights
will be cool to cold without exception.
Our worst enemies are the sun, wind, and dust. It is best to equip yourself with layerable clothing that you can
adapt to changing conditions, even over the course of a single day.
You will
need one set of respectable clothes for the inevitable banquets and official
meetings that will take place in Ulaanbaatar and provincial towns.
The
general tendency is to take far more clothing than is actually necessary. A good rule of thumb is to lay out all the
clothing you think you’ll need on the
floor and cut that amount by half before
actually packing!
WATER AND
FOOD:
Fortunately, the pervasiveness of tea drinking in Mongolia
means that adequate supplies of boiled water are generally available. On the other hand, fieldwork conducted in
areas where local supplies of water are scarce, heavily laced with minerals
(like Tsagaan Agui), or rendered unpotable due to the proximity of settled
populations and their livestock, requires special considerations. By far, the best means of rendering all but
the most chemically polluted water potable (although not necessarily
palatable!) is by passing the raw water through a porous (<0.4 micron)
ceramic and/or activated charcoal filter.
Since 1995, expedition members have successfully employed
microfiltration systems manufactured by the Pūr, MSR, Sweetwater, British
Berkefeld/Doulton, and Katadyn corporations.
Remember: no simple filtration system, including those referred to
above, can render salty or heavily mineralized water potable. Treatment of water with iodine, chlorine, or
other chemicals is not recommended due to health hazards associated with their
prolonged use.
Most
well- and spring-water in the Gobi is microbiologically clean but often
contains a large mineral fraction, thus minor stomach upsets and transient
diarrhea are inevitable. Powdered drink
mixes (e.g., Gatorade, Tang, instant iced tea, etc.) can be used to improve the
water’s taste. The water at most
localities in southern Mongolia is of variable, but often good, quality (i.e.,
“sweet”).
The
quality and quantity of locally available foodstuffs varies in Mongolia. In general, it is impossible to acquire
fresh bread, fruits, vegetables, and eggs outside Ulaanbaatar and provincial
capitals, rarely visited by the Expedition.
The traditional Mongolian diet consists solely of meat supplemented with
dairy products and, to a much lesser extent, various grains, especially barley
and buckwheat. Although the Expedition
brings large supplies of vegetables and bread from Siberia each year, if you are vegetarian, you will have to
compromise that principle in order to conduct fieldwork in Mongolia. The local meat – mostly mutton – is fatty
and tough and prepared without spices, generally only by boiling, since the
scarcity of wood in the Gobi usually precludes grilling meat over an open
fire. (Cooking in rural Mongolia is
generally done over an argul fire;
“argul” being the dried dung of camels, yaks, and other domestic stock that
produces acrid smoke with an unpleasant aftertaste. The Expedition cooks with modified gasoline-fueled blowtorches).
Each
Expedition member will be responsible for transporting provisions from the US purchased
by the Expedition that will be shared in common with the entire party. Such provisions include, but will not be
limited to, a range of “instant” foods (oatmeal, ramen noodles, etc.), various
dried foodstuffs (trail mix, fruits, sun-dried tomatoes, beef jerky, etc.), and
peanut butter.
HEALTH
RELATED ISSUES (see also Page 12 for
recommended immunizations):
·
It is important to include the following sterile supplies
in all individual first aid kits due to concern about the availability and
sterility of such items in lesser developed countries, including Mongolia:
5.0
nylon suture with needle
syringe,
1 cc
syringe,
3 cc
needle,
25 gauge X 5/8”
needle,
18 gauge X 1 ½”
needle,
21 gauge X 1 ½”
intravenous
catheter, 18 gauge
nitrile
(not latex) barrier gloves
antiviral/antibacterial towelettes
·
Useful travel-related medical supplies, including sterile
needles, syringes, and suture kits, can be purchased at: www.travmed.com
(800-872-8633).
·
Consult the University of Washington Medical Center, Travel
Medicine Service home page for complete information on suggested immunizations
and health precautions for Mongolia.
The UWMC Travel Medicine Service URL is: weber.u.washington.edu/~travmed/index.html.
·
The Centers for Disease Control also provide useful health
information for travelers at: www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm.
·
International travel insurance (highly recommended) is
available from the International Medical Group, Inc. See insurancetogo.com
or www.globalmedicalinsurance.com.
·
The Equipped to
Survive web page (www.equipped.org/home.htm)
contains a wealth of information helpful in making appropriate selections of
field gear.
MONGOLIA
RELATED WEB SITES (see also attached sheets):
JMRAAE Expedition Web Page
www.ic.arizona.edu/~mongolia/
Weather forecast for Ulaanbaatar cnn.com/WEATHER/html/UlaanBaatarMongolia.html
CIA Factbook for Mongolia
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mg.html
SELECTED
READING LIST (ENGLISH):
Academy of Sciences, Mongolian
People’s Republic (1990). Information Mongolia. Oxford and New York: Pergamon Press.
Akiner, Shiren, editor
(1991). Mongolia Today.
London: Kegan Paul International
and Central Asia Research Forum. An excellent companion to Moses and
Halkovic 1985.
Andrews, Roy Chapman (1926). On the
Trail of Ancient Man. New
York: Garden City Publishing
Company. See also Andrews 1935.
Andrews, Roy Chapman (1932). The new conquest of Central Asia.
Natural History of Central Asia, Volume 1. New York: American Museum
of Natural History.
Andrews, Roy Chapman (1933). Explorations in the Gobi Desert. The
National Geographic Magazine, 63(6): 653-716.
Andrews, Roy Chapman (1935). This
Business of Exploring. New
York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. The
“sequel” to Andrews 1926.
Avery,
Martha (1996). Women of Mongolia.
Seattle: University of
Washington Press.
Barfield, Thomas J. (1989). The
Perilous Frontier: Nomadic Empires and
China. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. See also Legg 1995.
Beazley, C. Raymond, editor
(1903). The Texts and Versions of John de Plano Carpini and William de
Rubruquis. London: The Hakluyt Society. Translated
accounts of the first European visitors to Mongolia in the 13th
Century. See also Giovanni 1996.
Berger, Patricia and Terese Tse
Bartholomew (1995). Mongolia:
The Legacy of Chinggis Khan.
San Francisco: Asian Art
Museum. Excellent summary articles with superb illustrations.
Berkey, C. P. and N. C. Nelson
(1926). Geology and prehistoric
archaeology of the Gobi Desert. American Museum Novitates 222: 1-16.
Bessac,
Frank (1965). Review of Mongolian
archaeology. Asian Perspectives 8(1): 141-147.
Chard, Chester S. (1974). Northeast
Asia in Prehistory. Madison,
WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Christian, David (1999). A
History of Russia, Central Asia, and Mongolia, Volume 1. Oxford, England: Blackwells.
Curtin, Jeremiah (1996). The
Mongols: A History. Conshohocken, PA: Combined Books. Reprint of the 1908 edition by Little,
Brown, and Company, Boston.
Derev’anko, A. P., editor and
compiler (1998). The Paleolithic of Siberia, New Discoveries and Interpretations. Novosibirsk: Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch,
Russian Academy of Sciences and Urbana, IL:
University of Illinois Press. “Derev’anko” is an alternative spelling of
“Derevianko”.
Fairservis, Walter A.
(1993). The Archaeology of the Southern Gobi of Mongolia. Durham, NC:
Carolina Academic Press. Discusses materials collected by the
Andrews Expeditions.
Gabori, Mikloš (1964). New data on Paleolithic finds in
Mongolia. Asian Perspectives 7: 105-112.
A report of the Hungarian
prehistoric expedition in Mongolia.
Gallencamp, Charles (2001). Dragon
Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the
Central Asiatic Expeditions. New
York: Viking. An up-to-date biography of
Andrews.
Getchell, Annie and Dave
Getchell, Jr. (2000) The Essential Outdoor Gear Manual. Second Edition. Camden, ME: Ragged
Mountain Press. A good resource guide for novice fieldworkers.
Golden, Peter B. (1992). An Introduction to the History of the Turkic
Peoples. Turcologica. Band 9. Weisbaden:
Otto Harrassowitz. Very thorough and comprehensive.
Goldstein, Melvyn G. and Cynthia
Beall (1994). The Changing World of Mongolia’s Nomads. Berkeley: University of
California Press. Excellent discussion of modern rural Mongolia.
Hildinger, Erik (1997). Warriors
of the Steppe: A Military History of
Central Asia, 500 BC to 1700 AD New
York: Sarpedon.
Jacobson, Esther and James E.
Meacham (1998). When Stones Speak: Mapping and Mongolian Surface
Archaeology. Geo Info Systems 8(2): 15-22.
Kielan-Jaworowska, Zofia
(1969). Hunting for Dinosaurs.
York, PA: The Maple Press. A
report of the Polish-Mongolian dinosaur expeditions. Interesting for local color…
Kwanten, Luc (1979). Imperial
Nomads: A History of Central Asia,
500-1500. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Lattimore, Owen (1940). Inner Asian Frontiers of China. American
Geographical Society Research Series No. 21. New York: American
Geographical Society.
Lattimore,
Owen (1941). Mongol Journeys.
London: Jonathan Cape. Essential
reading.
Legg, Stuart (1995). The
Barbarians of Asia: The Peoples of the
Steppes from 1600 BC New York: Barnes & Noble Books. See
especially Chapters 8 & 9 and Barfield 1989.
Man, John (1999). Gobi: Tracking the Desert. New Haven:
Yale University Press. A well written, popular traveler’s account
that includes areas surveyed by JMRAAE.
Maringer, John (1950). Contribution to the Prehistory of
Mongolia. Publications of the Sino-Swedish Expeditions, Number 34. Stockholm:
Tryckeri A.-B. Thule.
Maringer,
John (1963). Mongolia before the
Mongols. Arctic Anthropology 1(2): 75-85.
Mayhew, Bradley (2001). Mongolia. Third edition. Hawthorn, Australia:
Lonely Planet Publications. This is the best practical guide to read
and take to Mongolia. See also Sanders
and Bat-Ireedui 1995.
Morgan, David (1986). The
Mongols. Oxford, UK and Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press.
Moses, Larry and Stephen Halkovic
(1985). Introduction to Mongolian History and Culture. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Nelson, Nels C. (1926). Notes on the archaeology of the Gobi. American
Anthropologist 28: 305-308.
Nelson, Nels C. (1926). Prehistoric archaeology of the Gobi
Desert. American Museum Novitates 222: 10-16.
Nelson,
Nels C. (1926). The Dune-Dwellers of
the Gobi. Natural History 26: 246-251.
Novacek, Michael (1996). Dinosaurs
of the Flaming Cliffs. New
York: Doubleday. An
entertaining and informative account of the American Museum of Natural
History’s on-going dinosaur expeditions in Mongolia.
Okladnikov, Aleksei Pavlovich
(1965). Paleolithic finds in the region
of Lake Orok-Nor. Arctic Anthropology 3(1): 142-145.
Okladnikov, Aleksei Pavlovich
(1978). The Paleolithic of
Mongolia. In Early Paleolithic in South and East Asia, edited by Fumiko
Ikawa-Smith. Pages 317-325. The Hague:
Mouton.
Sabloff, Paula L. W., editor
(2001). Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming
Genghis Khan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum of
Archaeology and Anthropology Publications.
Sanders, Alan J. K. &
Jantsangiin Bat-Ireedui (1995). Mongolian Phrasebook. Hawthorn, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications. See
also Greenway et al. 1997.
Spuler,
Bertold (1996). History of the Mongols. New
York: Barnes & Noble Books.
Stephan, John (1994). The
Russian Far East: A History. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press.
Not directly Mongolia-related,
but fascinating nonetheless!
Vishnyatsky, Leonid B.
(1999). The Paleolithic of Central
Asia. Journal of World Prehistory 13(1): 69-122. Includes
an excellent bibliography.
Waley, Arthur, translator
(1963). The Secret History of the Mongols, and Other Pieces. London:
George Allen & Unwin. A good translation of the most important
historical text in the Mongolian corpus.
The logo of the Joint Mongolian-Russian-American Archaeological
Expedition (Mongolian: Монгол-Орос-Америкийн Археологийн Хамтарсан Экспедици[1]; Russian:
Российско-Монгольско-Американская Совместная Археологическая Экспедиция[2]) is based on the official seal of Bayan Lig suum (district) in Bayan Hongor aimag (province) where the Expedition’s
base camp was located from 1995-2000.
JMRAAE’s logo depicts two Bactrian camels with the region’s most
prominent topographic feature, a volcanic plug called Khatan Suudal (the
Queen’s Saddle), in the background with Jupiter ascendant.
JMRAAE’s
research activities are supported by:
The
Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research (1995-1996)
The
L. S. B. Leakey Foundation (1995-1996)
The
University of Arizona (1995-2004)
The
Diebold Foundation (1997)
The
National Geographic Society (1997-2000)
The
Salus Mundi Foundation (2002-2004)
Private
Anonymous Donors (1995-2004)
JMRAAE’s
corporate sponsors include:
Al
Mar Knives
Arc
Flashlights LLC
Bashas’
Breitling
USA
Emissive
Energy Corporation
ERDAS
Incorporated
Great
American Tool Company
Jorst
International
Micro
Technology
Sierra
Designs
Spyderco
Willis
& Geiger Outfitters
© John W. Olsen, December 2003
RECOMMENDED
IMMUNIZATIONS FOR MONGOLIA
·
Measles, Mumps, & Rubella
·
Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis
·
Hepatitis-A, two 1cc
injections, Havrix or equivalent
·
Hepatitis-B, three 1cc injections, Engerix or equivalent
·
Typhoid Vaccine, Live
Oral, e.g., 4 capsules Vivotif Berna or equivalent inoculation
·
Cholera, at your discretion.
Outbreaks do occur every summer in Mongolia.
NOTE:
Malaria prophylaxis is considered unnecessary in Mongolia.
RECOMMENDED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
·
Ery-tab (Erythromycin delayed-release
tablets, 333mg tablets). 42 tablets.
·
Amoxicillin (500mg capsules). 42 capsules.
·
SMZ/TMP (Sulfamethoxazole &
Trimethoprim, 800/160mg double-strength tablets). 28 tablets.
·
Floxin (Ofloxacin, 400mg tablets). 28 tablets.
·
Tylenol #3 (Acetaminophen &
Codeine Phosphate, 300/30mg tablets).
15 tablets.
·
Lomotil (Diphenoxylate/Atropine,
2.5/.025mg tablets). 40 tablets.
·
Diflucan (Fluconazole, 150mg
tablet). 1 tablet. (For Candida
infections in women).
·
Polytrim (Trimethoprim Sulfate &
Polymyxin B Sulfate). 10ml dropper
bottle.