← Explore on the interactive map

Mongol Paiza (Tally Tablet)

Type Object Region Mongolian Plateau Time c. 1206–1368

Metal or wooden travel passes used in the Mongol Empire and Yuan dynasty, inscribed with Mongolian or 'Phags-pa edicts, allowing holders to requisiti…

Timeline

  1. c. 1206–1250Mongolian Plateau · Mongolian PlateauAfter Genghis Khan unified the Mongol tribes, he continued the steppe tally tradition, using paiza and gold tablets to symbolize the great khan's edicts, for the passage of envoys and emergency requisitions.
  2. c. 1260–1270Yuan capital Dadu · North ChinaAfter Kublai Khan founded the Yuan, paiza were integrated with the postal relay and express courier systems; gold, silver, and copper tablets were cast by rank, and holders could exchange horses and obtain food and lodging, becoming imperial logistics credentials spanning Eurasia.
  3. 1368China · ChinaAfter the Ming dynasty was established, it abolished the Yuan tally and express courier systems; the paiza as an imperial administrative artifact fell out of everyday use, with some surviving examples preserved in later collections and archaeological finds.

Sources