Altai: Hunters and herders of Mongolia

ALTAI: HUNTERS AND HERDERS OF MONGOLIA. Up in the Bayan-Ölgii province of western Mongolia, history and the present coexist; the land and wildlife set daily rhythms, and traditions are practised, not merely preserved. Horses, once ridden by Mongolian warriors across frontiers and battlefields in the time of Genghis Khan, are now anchors of nomadic life: bred for durability, agility, and a capacity to withstand the most freezing of temperatures as they transport households between seasonal pastures and help herd livestock. For centuries, they have also been inseparable from eagle hunting, with horse, bird, and hunter performing a tightly choreographed dance in symbiosis, each with a role to play, perfected over time. The eagle: the eye in the sky.

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