Mongolian Xiongnu Tomb Reveals 2,000-Year-Old Trade Links to Rome, China, and Korea

Key points

• Tomb 160 at Duurlig Nars, eastern Mongolia, is the largest Xiongnu tomb identified in the country, measuring 73 meters in length.
• Excavation began in 2023 and concluded after four years, involving the removal of nine stone layers to reach a depth of 14.5 meters.
• The burial chamber contained 413 artifacts, including a glass vessel possibly from the Roman Empire, 15 jade discs from China, and silver horse harness ornaments linked to Korea.
• The tomb dates to the late first or early second century A.D., a period of declining Xiongnu power following conflicts with the Han Dynasty.
• UNESCO inscribed the Xiongnu funerary complexes, including Duurlig Nars, as a World Heritage Site in July 2026.

Background

The Xiongnu were a confederation of nomadic peoples who dominated the Mongolian steppes from the 3rd century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D. They are known for their conflicts with China’s Han Dynasty and their influence on later steppe empires. Previous excavations at sites like Noyon Uul have provided insights into Xiongnu elite burials, but Tomb 160 is the largest identified in Mongolia. The site’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2026 underscores its significance in understanding ancient Eurasian trade networks.

How outlets are covering it

Archaeology Magazine and La Brújula Verde emphasize the tomb’s scale and the diversity of artifacts, highlighting connections to Rome, China, and Korea. All That’s Interesting focuses on the tomb’s construction and the implications of its relatively shallow burial chamber for Xiongnu power decline. Ukrainian National News (UNN) stresses the potential for indirect trade routes, noting that artifacts may have reached Mongolia via intermediaries rather than direct contact. All sources agree on the tomb’s significance in revealing Xiongnu trade networks but differ in emphasis: some focus on the Roman glass, others on the Chinese jade, and others on the Korean silver ornaments.

Why it matters

The discovery of Tomb 160 provides critical evidence of the Xiongnu’s integration into broader Eurasian trade networks, challenging previous assumptions about their isolation. The presence of Roman glass, Chinese jade, and Korean silver ornaments suggests a complex web of cultural and economic exchanges during a period of Xiongnu decline. This find enhances understanding of ancient steppe societies and their role in connecting distant empires, contributing to broader historical and archaeological research.

What to watch

Artifacts from Tomb 160 will undergo conservation and chemical analysis in Korea to confirm the origin of the glass vessel and other items. DNA analysis of teeth and hair recovered from the coffin will determine the sex, age, and potential familial relationships of the buried individual with those in satellite tombs. A full report on the excavation will be published following the initial presentation at the Korean Archaeological Society’s 50th national congress in November 2026.