The Deer Stones of Mongolia
Across the Mongolian steppe stand carved standing stones covered in flying deer, their antlers streaming behind them.
What was reported
Across Mongolia and nearby regions stand more than 1,000 tall, carved stones from the Bronze Age, around 3,000 years ago. Many are decorated with stylised deer that seem to fly upward, with long, flowing antlers, as well as belts, weapons and earrings, as if the stone were a person.
At Uushigiin Övör, near the town of Mörön, a group of particularly fine deer stones stands in a valley.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists think the stones represent people, perhaps important warriors or ancestors, and were part of ritual sites, often surrounded by small stone mounds containing horse remains. What the flying deer meant is debated; one idea is that they carried spirits to the sky.
- When
- Carved about 3,000 years ago
- Where
- Uushigiin Övör, Khövsgöl, Mongolia
- Witnesses
- Herders and archaeologists
- Status
- Purpose debated
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.