Mongolia is a vast country situated in central Asia with changing geographical zones. Steppe lands are bordered by mountain chains: the high Altai in the west, the Hangai in the north central region that meets the Sayan in the east, and the Hentei that rises in the northeastern region. The northern Gobi, a semidesert/dry steppe land, covers the southern part of the country. In the west below the Altai Mountain, a great depression holds the salty Great Lakes that have no outlets. This area is the most northerly dry desert in the world (Figure 14).
In spite of high altitudes and fluctuating continental temperatures, the vast steppes and highland valleys offer extremely favorable conditions for the early and successful development of animal husbandry,
Figure 14 Stone-carved representation of a female, probably a priestess, wearing a pointed hat and holding a cup, standing adjacent to Uureg Lake in the Great Lakes Depression, Mongolia. Probably first millennium BCE.
Which led to pastoral nomadism. The Bronze Age is represented by chance finds of cast bronzes of the Seimo-Turbino type, and bronzes with close affinities to the Karasuk Culture of Southern Siberia as well as the Chou Dynasty in China. The Late Bronze Age is identified with the Early Nomads who made extensive use of the bridled horse to forge contacts with neighboring tribes as well as more distant populations.
World History
