Olon Süme Memories

INOO Tentaro

Shortly before I graduated from the Kokugakuin University ( 國學院大學 ) in 1938, I had an opportunity to participate in the investigation project in the steppes of Mongolia as Professor Egami’s assistant.

We started to make preparations at the beginning of 1939, acquiring food and equipment for the journey, and left Yokohama in May. Stopping by Tianjin ( 天津 ), Beijing ( 北京 ), Zhangjiakou ( 張家口 ), and Houhe ( 厚和 ), we finally reached Olon Sϋme in early June.

At the site of Olon Sϋme, we saw the stone stele Wang Fu Defengtang ( 王傅徳風堂 ) already broken into fragments and piled up in a heap. The tombstones with Nestorian cross marks had all been moved from their original positions, but we were able to take measurements of all of them and to make rubbings as well.

Participating for the first time in an excavation in the steppes, I found everything exotic and extremely valuable.