After nearly two decades of field research in Mongolia’s rugged backcountry to document the region’s archaeology, Esther Jacobson-Tepfer, UO professor emerita of art history, was recently honored by the Mongolian government for her leadership in preserving that nation’s cultural heritage. Around the O recently featured an extensive profile about her work, which integrates human culture and landscape. Although her career focuses on nomadic art, in particular rock art and surface archaeology of the ancient Altai nomads, Jacobson-Tepfer began her academic career in Chinese art history. As her research in Mongolia expanded, she wanted to ensure that the artifacts and monuments she documented continue to occupy the landscapes that brought them to life, so she launched preservation efforts alongside her research. Read more at AroundtheO

Above: Esther Jacobson-Tepfer records an image stone from the Turkic period in the valley of Postigiin Gol. Photo by Gary Tepfer.