mic activities largely served to support petty nobles and a large number of Buddhist monks. The limited commerce was controlled by Chinese merchants. Venereal disease, poor nutrition, and barbaric military practices were a part of the social milieu (Worden 59).
Mongolian land is geographically extreme--mountains and earthquakes--, and the climate is characterized by long, cold winters. Winter ice killed off tens of thousands of sheep and cattle (Worden 66). These harsh conditions and the pastoral nomadism shaped every aspect of Mongolian history, art, and sculpture.
Furthermore, a strict pattern of political, social, and economic power dramatically limited the
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