오르콘 계곡 문화 경관, Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape
국가: 몽골(Mongolia)
위치 : N47 33 24 E102 49 53
등재연도 : 2004
121,967ha의 오르콘 계곡 문화 경관에는 오르콘 강 양 언덕에 넓은 목초지가 있고, 6세기로 거슬러 올라가는 고고 유적이 남아있다. 또 13세기-14세기 칭기즈칸 제국의 수도였던 카르코럼이 있다. 기념물의 유적들은 유목 목축 사회와 행정 및 종교 센터 사이의 공생적 관계와 중앙 아시아 역사에서 오르콘 계곡의 중요성을 반영하고 있다. 이곳은 몽고의 유목민들이 여전히 가축을 방목하고 있는 목초지이기도 하다.
등재기준
기준 (ii): 오르콘 계곡은 광대한 교역망을 개발하고 거대한 행정, 상업, 군사, 종교 중심지를 만든 유목 문화가 얼마나 탄탄했고 오래 지속되었는지를 분명하게 보여준다. 이 도시의 중심이 지탱했던 제국은 아시아 전체는 물론 유럽에 이르기까지 많은 사회들에 영향을 미쳤으며, 반대로 동과 서 모두의 영향을 흡수했다. 진정한 의미의 인류가치의 교환이다.
기준 (iii): 지난 2000년 동안 오르콘 벨리의 발전을 지탱했던 것은 강한 유목 목축 문화였다. 이 문화는 지금도 존재하며 몽고 사회의 중심 역할을 하고 있다. 또 경관과 어울러지는 고귀한 삶의 방식으로 높이 평가받고 있다.
기준(iv): 오르콘 계곡은 인류 역사의 몇몇 중요한 단계를 설명해주는 뛰어난 예이다. 가장 먼저 몽고 제국의 중심이었다는 점을 들 수 있다. 둘째, 터키 권력의 몽고식 변형을 반영하고 있다. 셋째, 드쁘홍 사원(Tuvkhun hermitage monastery, 번역자 주)은 불교의 몽고식 발전이었다. 넷째, Khar Balgas(번역자 주)는 위구르 제국 수도의 도시 문화를 보여주고 있다.
역사적 배경
지금의 몽고는 몽고로 알려졌던 역사에서 광대했던 내륙 아시아(Inner Asian)의 약 절반을 차지하고 있다. 이는 13세기에서 14세기 동안 한국에서 헝가리까지, 인도 아대륙과 동남 아시아의 일부를 제외한 사실상 아시아 전지역에 해당하는 징키스칸 제국의 극히 일부에 불과하다. 유사이래 가장 광대한 영토를 가진 제국이었다. 몽고가 점령했던 사회들에는 몽고에 대한 많은 기록이 남아있다. 대부분 우호적이지 않은 기록들이다. 반면 몽고의 기록들은 징기스칸의 신과도 같은 군사적 천재성을 강조하고 있다. 그의 성공이 군사 기술뿐 아니라 정교한 행정 체계에도 바탕을 두고 있다고 말한다. 또 제국이 약 2세기 동안 성공할 수 있었던 이유는 중국과 이란, 러시아 등 다른 문화를 수용했기 때문이다. 몽고와 몽고인들은 중국과 러시아 같은 주요 국가들의 역사 발전에 지속적으로 큰 영향을 미쳐왔다. 또 경우에 따라서는 유라시아 대륙 전체에 파급을 줬다.
20세기 중반까지만 하더라도 몽고에 거주했던 대부분의 사람들은 유목민이었다. 몽고인들은 지난 2000년 동안 합종연횡하며 이 지역에 살았던 여러 유목 민족들 중 하나에 불과하다. BC 3세기에서 AD 9세기까지 발생했던 훈(Hun), 샨비(Synabi), Jujuan(번역자 주), 투르크(Turkic), 위그루 제국 같은 중앙화된 국가들이다. 수백 년에 걸쳐, 유목 민족 중 일부는 서쪽으로 이동해 유럽의 훈 제국을 건설했도, 일부는 이란과 인도, 중국으로 옮겨갔다.
징기스칸의 제국은 2세기 동안 중앙화된 통제를 통해 이런 흐름을 바꿔놓았다. 또 다른 민족들에 앞서는 기술과 효율성을 바탕으로 정교한 군사 및 정치 체계를 수립했었다. 몽고인들은 징기스칸과 그의 후손들의 지휘 아래 유라시아의 대부분을 정복했다.
16세기 초 제국이 기울면서, 몽고는 다시 한 번 전쟁에 휩싸였다. 17세기 말에서 20세기 초, 러시아와 만주 지배하의 중국이 몽고에 초점을 맞췄다. 결국 몽고는 쪼개졌다. (몽고의 남부인) 내부 몽고는 중국에 예속됐고, 러시아는 외부 몽고에 영향력을 확대했다. 1921년까지 러시아가 외부 몽고를 지배했다는 사실에는 의심의 여지가 없다. 그리고 1924년 모스크바의 통제 아래 몽고 인민 공화국이 수립됐다. 몽고는 1946년 독립 국가가 됐다.
현재 중국의 영토인 내몽고에는 몽고 인민 공화국보다 더 많은 몽고인들이 살고 있다. 각각 350만 명과 270만 명이다.
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape
The 121,967-ha Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape encompasses an extensive area of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon River and includes numerous archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century. The site also includes Kharkhorum, the 13th- and 14th-century capital of Chingis (Genghis) Khan’s vast Empire. Collectively the remains in the site reflect the symbiotic links between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative and religious centres, and the importance of the Orkhon valley in the history of central Asia. The grassland is still grazed by Mongolian nomadic pastoralists.
Outstanding Universal Value
Brief synthesis
The Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape (OVCL) lies in the central part of Mongolia, some 360 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar. The site covers 121,967 ha of grassland along the historic Orkhon River, and includes a buffer zone of 61,044 ha. The archaeologically rich Orkhon River basin was home of successive nomadic cultures which evolved from prehistoric origins in harmony with the natural landscape of the steppes and resulted in economic, social and cultural polities unique to the region. Home for centuries to major political, trade, cultural and religious activities of successive nomadic empires, the Orkhon Valley served as a crossroads of civilizations, linking East and West across the vast Eurasian landmass.
Over successive centuries, the Orkhon Valley was found very suitable for settlement by waves of nomadic people. The earliest evidence of human occupancy dates from the sites of Moiltyn Am (40,000- 15,000 years ago) and “Orkhon-7” which show that the Valley was first settled about 62,000-58,000 years ago. Subsequently the Valley was continuously occupied throughout the Prehistoric and Bronze ages and in proto-historic and early historic times was settled successively by the Huns, Turkic peoples, the Uighurs, the Kidans, and finally the Mongols.
At the height of its cultural ascendancy, the inscribed property was the site of historic Kharakhorum – the grand capital of the vast Mongol Empire established by Chinggis Khaan in 1220.
Within the cultural landscape are a number of archaeological remains and standing structures, including Turkish memorial sites of the 6th-7th centuries, the 8th9th centuries’ Uighur capital of Khar Balgas as well as the 13th-14th centuries’ ancient Mongol imperial capital of Kharakhorum. Erdene Zuu, the earliest surviving Mongol Buddhist monastery, the Tuvkhun Hermitage and the Shank Western monastery are testimony to the widespread and enduring religious traditions and cultural practices of the Northern School of Buddhism which, with their respect for all the forms of life, enshrine the enduring sustainable management practices of this unique cultural landscape of the Central Asian steppes.
Criterion (ii): The Orkhon Valley clearly demonstrates how a strong and persistent nomadic culture, led to the development of extensive trade networks and the creation of large administrative, commercial, military and religious centers. The empires that these urban centers supported undoubtedly influenced societies across Asia and into Europe and in turn absorbed influence from both east and west in a true interchange of human values.
Criterion (iii): Underpinning all the development within the Orkhon valley for the past two millennia has been a strong culture of nomadic pastoralism. This culture is still a revered and indeed central part of Mongolian society and is highly respected as a ‘noble’ way to live in harmony with the landscape.
Criterion (iv): The Orkhon Valley is an outstanding example of a valley that illustrates several significant stages in human history. First and foremost it was the centre of the Mongolian Empire; secondly it reflects a particular Mongolian variation of Turkish power; thirdly, the Erdene Zuu monastery and the Tuvkhun hermitage monastery were the setting for the development of a Mongolian form of Buddhism; and fourthly, Khar Balgas, reflects the Uighur urban culture in the capital of the Uighur Empire.
Integrity
The inscribed property straddles the Orkhon River, which provides water and shelter, key requisites for its role as a staging post on the ancient trade routes across the steppes and for its development as the centre of the vast Central Asian empires. Specifically, the inscribed property provides evidence of the 6th-7th century Turkish memorial sites, the 8th-9th century Uighur capita of Khar Balgas, the 13th-14th century Mongol capital of Kharkhorum, the earliest surviving Mongol Buddhist monastery at Erdene Zuu, the Hermitage Monastery of Tuvkhum, the Shankh Western Monastery, the palace at Doit Hill, the ancient towns of Talyn Dorvoljin, Har Bondgor, and Bayangol Am, deer stones and ancient graves, the sacred mountains of Hangai Ovoo and Undor Sant and archaeological and ethnographic evidence attesting to the long and enduring tradition of nomadic pastoralism.
All elements necessary to express the Outstanding Universal Value of the property of Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape are included within the boundaries of the inscribed area.
The ecology of overall landscape and pastoral practices are vulnerable to lowering water table, associated with tree-cutting and mining, pollution of watercourses and the effects of over-grazing.
The visual integrity of the landscape is vulnerable to modern roads, tracks and power lines.
Lack of maintenance of monastery buildings, city walls and Turkic graves could impact on integrity.
Authenticity
Overall, the Orkhon Valley retains a high level of authenticity as a continuing cultural landscape, reflecting the long-standing traditions of Central Asian nomadic pastoralism. The basic use of the land has remained consistent over the centuries and has not adversely affected the component archaeological features of the landscape, the authenticity of which remains high individually and collectively. Although some modern features have obtruded into the landscape, the way in which the landscape is used is still essentially traditionally nomadic, with herdsmen moving their flocks across it in season transhumance. The pastoral management regime of the grasslands and the continuing intangible and tangible traditions associated with the nomadic way of life are integral to the property’s continued authenticity.
Protection and management requirements
The central and local authorities recognize how vital it is to sustain pastoralism as means of managing this cultural landscape.
According to the Constitution of Mongolia adopted in 1992, each citizen has the right to live in a healthy and safe environment; additionally, lands and natural resources can be subjected to national ownership and state protection. Parliament Resolution No.43 under the Law on Special Protected Areas (1994) declared an area of the Khangai Mountains, including the upper part of OVCL, a State Special Protection Area, establishing Khangai Mountain Park in 1996. The northern part of the OVCL has been given “limited protected status” under the Law on Special Protected Area Buffer Zones passed in 1997. The five primary sites in the Orkhon Valley have been designated as Special Protected Areas and 20 historical and archaeological sites as Protected Monuments.
The buffer zone of the OVCL was approved by the Government Resolution No. 123 issued on 31 May 2006. Also the longitude and latitude coordinates of 63 points of the OVCL were approved by this resolution. In 2009, the decree of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia was adopted for strengthening the legal environment for the conservation of the OVCL. By Government Resolution No. 147 issued on 9 June 2010, the management office of the OVCL World Heritage Property, which was initially established by the Decree of Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia in 2006, was re-established at the national government level. A management plan for the property was developed in 2002 and renewed in 2006 with widespread involvement of stakeholders. The purpose of this plan is to ensure the safeguarding of the heritage within a framework for the sustainable development of the OVCL by putting in place a system for ensuring there will be lasting harmony between the ecology of the grasslands and the practices of nomadic pastoralism. According to the Mongolian National Development Policy which was adopted by the Mongolian Parliament in 2008, a further revision to the management plan for the property has been adopted which oversees development in the area up to the year 2030 and ensures its protection under a new “Law on protecting the cultural heritage of Mongolia”. A detailed map, indicating the territorial boundaries, sites location, buffer zone, livestock density and grassland cover, of the inscribed property has been officially gazetted. Site museums have been provided for under the revised management plan, as has the reconstruction of Tsogchin Temple.
