Reflections on two Decades pf International Archaeological Research in Mongolia

In 2015, the Joint Mongolian-Russian-American Archaeological Expedition (JMRAAE) celebrated twenty years of collaborative international archaeological research in Mongolia. Conceived of as a balanced trilateral approach to the process of archaeological research – from the formulation of the overall research design straight the way through to trilingual publication of monographs and focused articles – JMRAAE has proven an effective mechanism for fostering cross-fertilization of archaeological methods and theories across very different intellectual paradigms. This paper presents the reflections of one of JMRAAE’s three founding co-directors in an historical context that emphasizes the conscious synergies created and maintained among scholars originating in a variety of cultural, geopolitical, and scientific architypes.

Keywords: Mongolia, archaeology, prehistory, international research.