The Darkhad (Mongol: Дархад, lit. "untouchables" or protected by the church or "handicraftsmen" for Darkhan) is a subgroup of Mongol people living mainly in northern Mongolia, in the Bayanzürkh, Ulaan-Uul, Renchinlkhümbe, and Tsagaannuur sums of Khövsgöl Province. The Darkhad valley is named after them. The regional variant of Mongol language is the Darkhad dialect.The Darkhad were originally part of the Oirat or Khotgoid tribes.