Killing in the Name of: the Evolution of Animal Sacrifice on the Steppes of Mongolia

Animals fill numerous roles within the broader dynamic of human-animal relationships; from prey to pet, from mode of transportation to guide, from source of secondary products to guard, and numerous others. In archaeology, one of the most readily identifiable of these roles is sacrificial victim. Animals are used to consecrate buildings, to provide religious offerings and feasting opportunities, and for companionship and sustenance as people cross into the afterlife. In Mongolia, sacrificed animals have been part of the archaeological record since at least the Bronze Age (3000-1000 BC), and ritually deposited faunal remains are a common component in mortuary contexts. Despite the frequency of finds, the evolution and significance of this phenomenon in Mongolia is poorly understood. This paper charts diachronic changes in animal sacrifice practices through zooarchaeological and mortuary data from the Bronze Age onward, with a specific focus on what these shifting patterns can tell us about alterations in human organizational complexity and ritual behavior throughout Mongolia’s prehistory.