A Silver GEREGE Discovered for the First Time on Mongolian Soil

In May 2024, a silver gerege (paiza) was discovered for the first time within the territory of Mongolia. The artifact was found in the Ulaan Davaa area of Bulgan soum, Bayan-Ölgii province, by local residents A. Ansagan, Kh. Amanzhol, and Ye. Amanbek.

According to researchers, the silver gerege is believed to date back to the Mongol Empire, more specifically to the Yuan Dynasty period. It features inscriptions written in the traditional square script. When transliterated, the text reads:

This can be interpreted as:
“Under the power of Eternal Heaven, may the name of the Khan be blessed. Whoever does not show reverence shall be punished by death.”

As of today, only three other similar silver gerege artifacts are known to exist, all of which are held outside Mongolia—in Russia and the United States. This new discovery highlights the urgent need for further detailed study and research.

We call upon the people of Mongolia to actively contribute to the preservation and protection of our cultural heritage and to prevent its loss or destruction.

A gerege (also spelled paiza) was a metal tablet or medallion used during the Mongol Empire as a symbol of authority and safe passage. Issued by the khan or high-ranking officials, it granted its bearer the right to travel freely across the empire, demand supplies or services, and represent imperial authority. Gereges were typically made of gold, silver, or bronze and often bore inscriptions invoking the power of Eternal Heaven and the legitimacy of the Khan.