In 2018 and 2019, the field research team of the Mongolian-American “Northern Mongolia Archaeology Project” conducted an important salvage excavation in response to the destruction of 67 tombs by looters. These tombs, dating to the Mongol Empire period (XIII–XVIth century AD), were located in the Khorig Mountain of Mungarag bag, Ulaan-Uul soum, Khuvsgul province. Despite the extensive damage, the team uncovered a wealth of artifacts and human remains, shedding new light on the lives and burial practices of the Mongol Empire's elite.
Systematic, comparative palaeopathological study of the remains from this site shows that, in the individual from burial KhL21 (a male aged 44-50 years), joint destruction occurred due to an erosive lesion on the distal epiphysis of first metatarsal, involving the proximal base of the first phalanx on the right foot. A similar lytic lesion was observed in the joint area of the left first metatarsal bone. Additionally, another cavitated osteolysis was observed on the distal articular surface of the left first metatarsal of the individual from burial KhL13, estimated as a male over 50 years old at the age of death.
This differential diagnosis suggests the symptoms in these two individuals are more consistent with gout than other types of arthritis. The findings from their graves, along with the overall quality of the cemetery, indicate they may have been members of the region’s elite during the Mongol Empire. These probable cases of gout may offer us some insights into the daily lifestyle, health conditions, and dietary practices ( e.g. consumption of alcohol or protein-rich food) that may have been prevalent among the elites during this period.