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Learning About Mongolian Life and Culture

What Is an Ovoo?

Since ancient times in Mongolia it has been believed that gods dwell in everything in the natural world, and that the sky god reigns at the top of them. When offering livestock and the like as sacrifices to this sky god, the nomads piled stones high to make a tower as a landmark for the god, and this is said to be the origin of the ovoo. Even now, a wide variety of ovoo can be seen in various parts of Mongolia.

Road Ovoo

A waymarker-type ovoo, on a small hill. It is the ovoo you see most often when traveling in Mongolia. Travelers rest here and pray for safety on the way. Those passing by always stop and offer pebbles or banknotes on the pile. If riding, pull out three hairs of the mane and offer them. The custom is to circle the ovoo clockwise three times, chanting "The blessing of the ovoo to you, the blessing of the harvest to me". In modern times, more people seem to pile stones while praying for things such as "may I make money".

Steppe Ovoo

Built as a landmark in the midst of the vast steppe, as far as the eye can see, where there is no mountain to serve as a marker.

Border Ovoo

Placed here and there along the borders with Russia and China.

Spring Ovoo

Located where spring water wells up. Local people build them in gratitude for the blessing of water. It is said that if you pollute the water here, you will incur the wrath of the spring god, epidemics will spread, and eventually the spring will dry up.

Hot Spring Ovoo

People whose health improved through the effects of the hot spring pile stones in gratitude. Besides banknotes and khadag, even crutches used during recovery are left, which is a curiosity.

Memorial Ovoo

Built at places that were royal camp sites, places where heroes are said to be buried, and former battlefields. I have heard that soldiers going off to war would place a stone each, and if they returned alive they took the stone back.

Golden Ovoo

Located at a sacred place of the land. This ovoo can be built only by the local powerful. Killing or harming animals and plants here is taboo. A hole is dug and a jar containing jewelry and the five grains such as wheat is buried, stones are piled on it to form a tower, a tree branch is stuck in at the top, and finally the sacred blue khadag cloth is hung.

Tips for Travelers

If you come across a road ovoo, stop by. Just walking around it clockwise three times and adding one pebble is an experience of touching the prayers of the Mongolian people.