A Reassessment of the So-Called Horned Camel Images in Mongolian Rock Art

Abstract This article reassesses 17 animal images in Mongolian rock art that have previously been described as “horned camels.” The examples, recorded in Arkhangai, Bayan-Ölgii, Bayankhongor, Govi-Altai, Khovd, and Uvs provinces, were examined using a structured comparative protocol based on horn morphology, dorsal protrusions, body proportions, neck, limbs, tail, and compositional context. The images do not form a uniform type: They include deer-antlered, ibex-horned, and spike-horned figures, while the paired dorsal protrusions vary markedly in form and position. Three principal interpretations are supported. Some figures are more plausibly deer or ibex that were previously misidentified as camels; some dorsal protrusions may represent saddles, loads, or other attachments; and a limited number may be composite images combining horned-animal and camel-like traits. The Gants Mod figure in Tsengel district is the strongest composite case because deer-like head and antler features coexist with a deeply arched back and camel-like secondary traits. Accordingly, “horned camel” is best treated as an interpretive label rather than a fixed zoological or iconographic category.