Two cranes play in the pool surrounding Sum Khokh Burd Monastery Ruins in Dundgovi, Mongolia. Photo by KG Hutchins 2018.
As environmentally-sourced artifacts that grow in size with each interaction with humans, ritually significant piles of stone known as ovoo in Mongolia delineate both space and time in ecologically and politically charged ways. Their presence and power as spiritual beings and historical markers is derived from and enacted upon the ecological and social landscapes which they oversee. This paper explores how ovoo instigate, mediate, and commemorate conflict in ways that entangle environmental and cultural heritage. Drawing on the experiences of three heritage bearers who interact with ovoo as part of their livelihood, I argue that ovoo allow for people to access more-than-human networks as part of their heritage preservation.