One of the main tasks of our expedition was to study the traditional cult practice associated with the veneration of Mount Burkhan Khaldun. In the mythology of the Mongol peoples, this sacred peak well known. Her veneration is associated with the image of Genghis Khan, who is traditionally perceived not only as the creator of the Mongol Empire, but as a cultural and epic hero, a messenger of the Eternal Blue Sky. The burial of Genghis Khan in the Burkhan Khaldun area is reported in the Collection of Chronicles by Rashid ad-din, the official historiographer of the Mongol Empire. He narrates that the son of Genghis Khan Tului and his other descendants: the khans Menke, Khubilai, Arig-Buga and other Genghisids were buried in the same area. Rashid-ad-din reports on the existence of special sanctuaries on Burkhan-Khaldun, in which images of sacred ancestors were installed, “there they constantly burn incense and incense”.

But not only Genghisids were susceptible to the sacred power of Burkhan Khaldun. This mountain acts as a geographical and sacred focus of the entire medieval (and possibly more ancient) history of the Mongolian people. According to the "Secret Legend", recorded in 1240, here, on Burkhan Khaldun, at the headwaters of the Onon River, the first ancestors of the Mongols roamed - Borte-Chino (Gray Wolf) and Goa-Maral (Kauraya Doe). Their descendant in the twelfth generation, Dobun-Mergan, meets his future wife, Alan-goa, at this peak. The descendants of the fifth son of Alan-goa - Bodonchar - became the leaders of the Mongol people. And this pair itself unites in the sacred tract Shinchi-bayan-uryankhai, “on which the deities, the rulers of Burkhan Khaldun, were installed” - so that the spirits of Burkhan Khaldun blessed this union. Most likely, the “spiritual vision” of the elder brother Dobun-Mergan is also connected with the sacral power of the mountain, who sees the distant (and, in fact, the future, giving impetus to the unification of this pair) from the top of Burkhan-Khaldun (Secret legend § 4- 6).

On Burkhan Khaldun, young Temujin, later proclaimed by Genghis Khan at the tribal kurultai, is saved during a Merkit raid. Having escaped death, he turns with gratitude to this peak and bequeaths her veneration to his descendants. It was here, near Burkhan Khaldun, that he later chose his resting place.

In the Mongolian tradition, which represented the mountain as the abode of the spirit of the owner of the area, in many cases the ruler of the surrounding territory became it after his death. The burial of these rulers - noyons - on the tops of the mountains was traditional. And the spirit of the founder of the empire, Genghis Khan, was conceived in medieval Mongolia as the patron saint of the entire country. There are legends about an unknown force that stopped people who came too close to the place of his burial, and about the death of those who tried to disturb the peace of his tomb.

The sacred significance of Mount Burkhan Khaldun was also associated with the veneration of the sources of the rivers - after all, Onon and Kerulen, the main arteries of the sacred Motherland of the Mongolian people, originate from its slopes. The sacred power of the sacred mountain was embodied in the purity and vitality of these rivers.

The very name Burkhan-Khaldun can be translated as “sacred peak” or “rock of the gods” - from the general Mongolian “burkhan” (spirit, god) and the ancient Mongolian “haldun”, in the dictionary of S.A. Kozin “peak, rock”.

The study of topographic descriptions of medieval Mongolian sources allows us to conclude that under the “area of ​​Burkhan-Khaldun” of the “Collection of Chronicles” Rashid-ad-din meant the entire mountain range Khentei in northeastern Mongolia, and the “peak of Burkhan-Khaldun” of the Secret Legend is Mount Khentei-Khan (2452 m) or the peaks closest to it.

The works on the Khenteya massif and in the Kerulen valley were carried out by us together with the Mongolian archaeologist Z. Batsaykhan. The expedition climbed up Kerulen from Baganuur past the Mongonmorit somon through the Bosgot Tengerin Davaa pass to the confluence of the Bogd river into Kerulen, and further along the Bogd valley to the Khentei-Khan mountain massif. A stationary camp was set up here, from which an ascent to the top, perceived in modern Mongolian culture as Burkhan-Khaldun, was made, and its surroundings were examined.

On modern Mongolian maps and in historical and cultural writings under the name "Burkhan Khaldun", a peak with a height of 2361 m appears, located in the central part of Khentei, 12 km west - southwest of the Khentei Khan peak (Lord of Khentei). Perhaps her choice is not entirely related to the ancient tradition and is explained by the relative accessibility of this mountain. In a good car, with a very experienced driver and with a lot of luck, you can get to its foot along very bad field roads, and then go on foot. No travel is possible to the foot of the Khentei Khan itself, and the assault on its steep slopes is an even simpler task than hiking route upon reaching this mountain - through the dense taiga, cut by the tributaries of the Onon and Kerulen, barrows and talus, without any hiking trails. To our great regret, we simply did not have enough time for this undertaking and we limited ourselves to exploring the southwestern peak, revered as Burkhan Khaldun in the modern Mongolian tradition since at least the 17th century.

The first cult monument associated with the veneration of this peak is located southeast of the Mongongmorit (Silver Horse) somon. This is a ritual gate in front of the sacred site of Ikh-Khorig (Forbidden Place). In their central part there are three wooden pillars installed along the field road. The central pillar is crowned with the image of Genghis Khan, the western one with a silver horse, and the eastern one with a brown bear.

Upstream, the valley of the Kerulen River narrows between rocky hills. This area has the traditional name of Uud-Mod (Tree Door). The image of the "door" is associated with the approach to Burkhan Khaldun. The revered tree in this territory is now known on the left bank of the Kerulen - it is an old larch with two parallel trunks, growing from the very middle of the kherexur - a cult complex of the era of early nomads, which is a circular stone fence with a central embankment, on which a low obstruction was erected around the larch trunks. The lower branches of the larch are hung with blue khadagi.

The only way to Burkhan Khaldun leads from the Kerulen valley to the Bogd river valley through the Bosgot Tengerin Davaa pass (Neba Threshold pass). This road is very difficult, lightly bogged down, and often goes through wetlands. Shortly before us, a detachment of the Russian-Mongolian biological expedition on the GAZ-66 could not pass through it. Our "Niva-Fora", however, mastered the road.

The Khentei mountains are covered with dense cedar-larch taiga. The rivers are shallow, very clean and fast, the water in them rushes rapidly along the stone bed. There are no stationary settlements in the Khentei mountains, and the herds do not graze. Occasionally you can meet fishermen and hunters. According to their testimony, pilgrims arrive at Burkhan Khaldun, as a rule, once a year - around July 11 (Nadom holiday). At other times of the year, foreign pilgrims occasionally come here - usually Buryats.

The Threshold of Heaven pass is not high, but it is very heavy for the car, the slightest mistake can lead to irreparable consequences. There is no heavy equipment capable of pulling a car closer than the Mongongmorit somon - and this is more than 70 km of a very bad road; but even a powerful tractor would not be able to drag a failed machine over the steep and swampy slopes of the pass, cut by ruts, washed out and spread to incredible proportions. On the southern slope there is a blue body from an abandoned minibus. A beautiful view of the Khentei-Khan mountain massif, the Kerulen valley and the Bogd (Sacred) river flowing into it opens from the crossing point. There is a large stone embankment, two meters in diameter, on which a wooden hut with an entrance facing south is erected. The branches of the hut are decorated with blue khadags, and numerous offerings lie on the stones - money, empty vodka bottles, packs of tea and tobacco. Further, the road crosses the Kerulen ford and moves north along the Bogd river valley, repeatedly crossing the river itself. The road is practically not traveled, you have to pass it at the limit of the capabilities of the car and its driver.

A number of Mongolian historians are inclined to identify the Bogd with the Tengelik River of the "Secret Legend" - along which the Alan-goa tribe roamed, and along which Borte and Khoakhchin escaped from their pursuers after the Merkit attack on the Temujin family's nomads. This assumption is consistent with the topographic descriptions of the sources. In this case, Temujin's nomad camps in the Burgi-ergi area should have been located directly at the mouth of the Bogd (Tengelik) river, where the slightly widened Kerulen valley allows grazing a small number of livestock.

Climbing along the right bank of the Kerulenu, we examined the area at the mouth of the Baudlag River, between the Baganuur and Mongonmorit somons, which in modern Mongolian culture is considered the Burgi-ergi region of the "Secret Legend". According to Batsaykhan, fragments of ceramics were found on the hillside above the high, steep bank. The study of the site made it possible to establish that there was probably an ancient cult place here. We have collected: Xiongnu ceramics, fragments of Chinese porcelain of the 15th-17th centuries, a knife-like plate and fragments of animal bones. The location of the finds on a steep slope of a hill directly above a high cliff practically excludes their everyday origin.

Probably, the cult place above the river cliff near the mouth of the Baudlag River was revered long before Temujin, and the cultural tradition simply connected its veneration with the image of Genghis Khan's nomadic camps. The very same nomad, judging by the topographical indications of the "Secret Legend", should have been located much further north, probably - just at the confluence of the Bogd and Kerulen.

The view of Burkhan Khaldun opens from the Bogd Valley to the north of its mouth. The sacred mountain rises above the surrounding peaks and has the shape of a truncated cone, above the upper, flat platform of which the peak itself rises.

Driving for a car, the road ends at the southeastern foot of the mountain, on a low ledge overlooking the valley; further through the taiga go only horse and hiking trails... Along the edge of the ledge, among rare trees, there are many bonfires at the sites of pilgrims' camps. In the southern part of the site, there is an unusual cult monument - a two-meter-high wooden structure in the shape of an arrow with a plumage pierced into a small stone obstruction. The “plumage” is painted green, and the “arrow” itself is entwined with blue hadagi. In the northern part of the site, away from the campfire sites, there is a large obo with a wooden "hut". A relatively well-trodden path to the top of the mountain goes to the north-west of it.

Climbing to the top of Burkhan-Khaldun from the southeastern slope of the mountain is possible only along this path. It immediately begins a steep ascent through the dense cedar-larch taiga and after a kilometer leads to a small meadow with a large cult complex. The central part of the complex is a very high hut-like obo, built around a huge cedar. To the south of it is a ritual table, and behind it are two cauldrons - one dug into the ground for airag (kumis), and the second, on a tripod, for cooking meat.

From here the trail goes north-west again. For a long time, there is a very difficult climb along the talus of kurumniks, then the alpine taiga belt begins. These are the most pleasant and Beautiful places on Burkhan Khaldun. There are many forests, mainly cedar, but it is very light - because the forest is low, even mature trees are as tall as a man. On these low cedars, real cones grow, which can be pulled straight from the ground, slightly bending the top. The protruding stones are covered with mosses of various colors and shades, between them there are whole fields of lingonberries and blueberries, russula are found. Even higher, the trail rises to the upper plateau, covered with burgers and overgrown with sparse grass between them. The peak of Burkhan-Khaldun rises above the plateau - an almost regular truncated cone, made of large stone fragments. The plateau offers a magnificent view of the valley of the Bogd River, actively meandering between the mountains, the high-mountainous lake Khentei-Nuur and the surrounding peaks of the Khentei massif. No trace of human activity can be seen from this mountain, one of the highest in northeastern Mongolia. Here you really feel alone with the great mountains and the Eternal Sky.

The trail rises to the top from the south, bends around it from the west and then descends to the south from the east: thus, the pilgrim walks around the top in the clockwise direction. The entire upper platform is covered with hundreds of low stone pyramids about, which are built by every pilgrim who ascends here. In the southern part of the site, there is a large cult complex dedicated to Genghis Khan. This huge quadrangular stone obo, in the center of which is a high wooden pillar with a copy of Genghis Khan's bunchug (standard) mounted on it, is a metal cylinder with a pommel, decorated with images of predatory animals, to which a horsehair mane is attached. To the south of it is a spear-shaped stone pole with a tip. At all four corners of both are wooden poles with metal knobs, and between them are hung multi-colored hadagi. On the mound of this, dedicated to Genghis Khan, obo, many wooden swords and sabers lie as offerings.

Nowadays, the cult practice in Burkhan Khaldun is included in the system of Buddhist ritual activities, however, it is rooted in the ancient Tengrian tradition. Honoring Burkhan Khaldun, the Mongols fulfill the behest of Temujin, who exclaimed after his salvation on this mountain: “Let us worship (crawling climbing) her every morning and offer prayers every day. Let the descendants of my descendants understand! ” And having said so, he turned his face to the sun, like a rosary hung his belt around his neck, hung his hat on his chest and, unbuttoning (exposing) his chest, bowed nine times to the sun (towards the sun) and performed (gave) sprinkling and prayer ”(Secret legend, § 103).

Book publication:

Petrov F.N. Arkaim - Altai - Mongolia: Essays on Expeditionary Studies of Traditional Beliefs. Chelyabinsk: Crocus Publishing House, 2006.

Story from the series "Travel notes of the Mongolian expedition"

Previous story: The funeral rite -

Etymology

• "Sacred willow", literally "the righteousness of God-willow": from the Mong. burkhan- "the righteousness of God" and daur. Haldun- "willow"
• "Willow Hill": from the middle long. burgan- "willow", "grove".

Meaning

In the picture of the world of the medieval Mongols, Burkhan Khaldun is one of the sacred centers. According to the "Secret Legend", the forefathers of Genghis Khan Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral wandered to Burkhan Khaldun, at the source of Onon. At the foot of Burkhan-Khaldun there was a tribal nomad of Genghis Khan, on the slopes he escaped from the persecution of the Merkits. It is mentioned that the captive Merkit Haatay-Darmal was "dedicated to Burkhan-Khaldun", putting a shoe on his neck, although it is unclear whether he was left alive or killed.

According to Rashid ad-Din, Genghis Khan, his son Tolui and the latter's descendants, in particular Munke, Arig-Buga and Khubilai, were buried on the slope of Burkhan-Khaldun. The place of their burial, called their horig("Great reserve"), was guarded by a special thousand warriors from the Uryankat tribe (Uryankhais). These warriors, headed by the thousand-man of Fortune and his descendants, did not go on military campaigns, constantly guarding the "great reserve". It is reported that after the burial of Genghis Khan, his place was overgrown with many trees and grass, and later the guards themselves could not find the burial.

Location

At present, most researchers identify Burkhan-Haldun with the Khentei mountain range with a central peak Khan-Khentei ( 48 ° 58'45 ″ s. NS. 108 ° 42'47 ″ in. etc.) with a height of about 2362 m.

Sources and Literature

• Mongolian everyday collection // Secret legend. Mongolian Chronicle 1240 YUAN CHAO BI SHI. / Translated by S. A. Kozin. - M.-L .: Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1941. - T. I.
• Rashid ad-Din. Collection of chronicles / Translation from Persian by L. A. Khetagurov, edition and notes by professor A. A. Semenov. - M., L .: Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1952. - T. 1, book. 1.
• Rashid ad-Din. Collection of chronicles / Translation from Persian by O. I. Smirnova, edited by Professor A. A. Semenov. - M., L .: Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1952. - T. 1, book. 2.
• Zhukovskaya N. L. Burkhan-khaldun // Myths of the peoples of the world: Encyclopedia. - M.: Russian Encyclopedia, 1994 .-- T. 1. - S. 196. - ISBN 5-85270-016-9.
• Skrynnikova T. D. Charisma and power in the era of Genghis Khan. - M.: Publishing company "Eastern Literature" RAS, 1997. - 216 p. - 1000 copies. - ISBN 5-02-017987-6.

Links

• Kotov P. Leprosy of Mongolian archaeologists... Telegraph "Around the World" (19.02.2009). Retrieved October 9, 2010. Archived April 29, 2012.
• Mongolia Sacred Mountains: Bogd Khan, Burkhan Khaldun, Otgon Tenger(English). UNESCO World Heritage Center. Retrieved October 9, 2010. Archived April 29, 2012.
• Croner D. Burkhan Khaldun - Chingis Khan "s Sacred Mountain... Don Croner "s World Wide Wanders. Retrieved October 13, 2010. Archived April 29, 2012.

Alan-goa is the legendary progenitor of the Nirun Mongols, the dominant phratry among the Hamag Mongols (Mongols before the creation of the Mongol Empire). According to legend, she was the daughter of Khorilartai-Mergan, the leader of the Khori-tumats, and Bargudzhin-Goa, the daughter of the lord of the Barguts.

Due to the fact that in the Khori-tumat lands there were wrangles over hunting grounds, Alan-goa's father, Noyon Khorilartai-Mergan, decided to stand out as a separate clan (obok) - Khorilar, and together with his nomads moved to the lands near the mountain Burkhan Khaldun. Here they were noticed by the brothers Dobun-Mergan and Duva-Sokhor. Alan-goa, being unmarried, was married to Dobun-Mergana.

From Dobun-Mergan Alan-goa had two sons - Belgunotay and Bugunotay; three more - Bugu-Khadagi, Bukhatu-Salchzhi and Bodonchar - were born after the death of her husband. This raised suspicions among her two eldest sons: they believed that these three children could be from Maalih, a servant in the house of Alan-goa.

Upon learning of this, Alan-goa gathered her sons and gave each a twig (according to another version, Alan-goa gave her sons an arrow), asking them to break it, which they easily did. Then Alan-goa gave her sons a bundle of five tied twigs and again asked them to break it, but this time none of them succeeded. Then Alan-goa told her sons that if they separated from each other, then any of them would be defeated as easily as one twig; but if they stick together like a bundle of five twigs, it will be much more difficult to overcome them. Alan-goa also revealed the secret of the birth of her three youngest sons: according to her, every night a light-blond (or red-haired) person appeared to Alan-goa, the light from which penetrated her womb. Similar legends are found among a number of peoples, for example, among the Khitan, akin to the Mongols. Despite this, some researchers, such as P. Rachnevsky, adhere to the version of the origin of the Borjigins from Maalikh; E. I. Kychanov also considers this version admissible The sons of Alan-goa Belgunotay, Bugunotay, Bugu-Khatagi and Bukhutu-Salchzhi became the founders of the clans Belgunot, Bugunot, Khatagin and Saljiut; the youngest son, Bodonchar, became the ancestor of the Borzhigins. Genghis Khan came from this family.

Artakans, Hartakans, Arikans (Mong. Artakhan, Khartakhan) are one of the tribes of the Nirun branch of the Mongols. They are an offshoot of the Borjigin genus.

Bogd-Khan-Uul (Mong. Bogd-khan-uul; obsolete. Bogdo-Khan-Ula, Bogdo-Ula, Choibalsan-Ula) is a mountain in Mongolia, located in the south of the territory administratively belonging to Ulan Bator, from the south it adjoins the city. The height of the mountain is 2256.3 m.

Borte-Chino (Burte-Chine; Mong. Burte Chino - "gray wolf") - the legendary progenitor of the Mongols, as well as the ancestor of Genghis Khan. According to the "Secret Legend of the Mongols", he was born "by the will of the Highest Heaven"; together with his wife Goa-Maral swam across the Tengis Sea and settled on the banks of the Onon River, on Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. According to E. N. Kychanov, this event took place approximately in the middle of the VIII century, according to A. S. Gatapov - at the turn of the VI-VII centuries. He was one of the Mongols who took refuge and later left the Ergune-kun area.

In the chronicle of the 17th century, "Altan Tobchi" Borte-Chino is called the third son of the Dalai Subin Altan Sandalitu-khan, who was a descendant of the first Tibetan Khudzugun Sandalitu-khan. Thus, later Mongolian sources, obeying the Buddhist historiographic tradition, derived Borte-Chino from India and Tibet, from the country from which their new Buddhist faith came to the Mongols. P. B. Konovalov, in his interpretation of Borte-Chino as the son of a Tibetan ruler, sees the ancient genetic ties of the ancestors of the Mongols with the Rong tribes, some of which were also the ancestors of the Tibetan tribes.

The son of Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral was Bata-Chagan.

V historical monuments The lines are captured, stating that Genghis Khan, while hunting in the Khangai mountains, commanded: “Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral will be rounded up. Don't go for them. " Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral, the distant ancestors of the Mongols, were also their ongons (spirits of the ancestors of the clan). Scientists, considering this event, came to the conclusion that the wolf and the maral were totems of the ancient Mongols, therefore it was forbidden to hunt them.

Burkhan is a polysemantic word, it can have Turkic-Mongolian and Arabic etymology.

In Turkic and Mongolian languages ​​Burkhan is translated as "Khan (title)", "Buddha", "Buddha-khan", "God".

The Arabic name "Burkhan" (Burkhanuddin, Burkhanulla) is translated as "righteousness of the Faith", "righteousness of God", comes from the verb "dune" - "to prove."

It can be used in the meanings:

Burkhan - the title of sovereign, ruler and their direct descendants in the Turkic-Mongolian version.

Burkhan (Burkan) - a deity in the mythology of the Altaians and some other peoples of Siberia and Central Asia.

Burkhan is the supreme deity in Burkhanism.

Burkhan-bakshi ("Buddha-teacher") is a common epithet of Gautama Buddha among Mongolian Buddhists.

Burkhan - in Mongolian tradition sculptural image buddha, bodhisattva or other Buddhist character.

Burkhan - with this word the Buddhist Uighurs called Buddhas, and the Manicheans called the heads of the Manichean church.

Burkhan Khaldun is a sacred mountain in the mythological representations of the Mongol peoples.

Burhanpur

Burkhan-Bulak is a waterfall on the Kora River in Kazakhstan.

Burkhan Buddha is a mountain range in China.

Burkhan is an alternative name for the Shamanka Rock Cape on Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal).

Goa-Maral (Kho-Maral, Khoai-Maral, Koay-Maral; Mong. Gua Maral - "beautiful doe" (there is also a variant of "kauray doe") - the legendary progenitor of the Mongols and the ancestor of Genghis Khan, the eldest wife of Borte-Chino and mother of Bata -Chagan. According to the legends given in the "Secret Legend of the Mongols" and "Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid ad-Din, Goa-Maral, together with her husband, swam across the Tengis Sea and settled on Mount Burkhan Khaldun near the banks of the Onon River. Dinah, this happened around the middle of the 8th century.

In historical monuments there are lines that say that Genghis Khan, while hunting in the Khangai Mountains, ordered: “Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral will be rounded up. Don't go for them. " Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral, the distant ancestors of the Mongols, were also their ongons (spirits of the ancestors of the clan). Scientists, considering this event, came to the conclusion that the wolf and the maral were totems of the ancient Mongols, therefore it was forbidden to hunt them. The chronicler of the 18th century Mergen Gegen Goa-Maral is indicated as "Mrs. Maral from the Khova clan"; who remained pregnant after the death of her husband - the leader of the tribe who lived near the Burkhan Khaldun mountain. She becomes the wife of Borte-Chino, who, in turn, by marrying her, takes the position of the leader.

Dobun-Mergen, Dobun-Mergan (Mong. Dobu mergen, Mong. Mergen - "well-aimed", "skillful"; c. 945 -?) - Genghis Khan's ancestor in the twelfth generation, son of Torokoljin-Bayan and Borokhchin-goa, grandson of Borjigidai- Mergen.

He was married to Alan-goa, the daughter of the leader of the khori-tumats. Because of the wrangling in the Tumat lands, Father Alan-goa decided to stand out as a separate clan (Mong. Obok) Khorilar and, together with his nomads, moved to the lands near Mount Burkhan Khaldun. Dobun-Mergan, together with his older brother Duva-Sokhor, noticed people who were moving around (including Alan-goa), and, on the advice of the latter, went to woo them.

Dobun-Mergen and Alan-goa had two sons - Belgunotai and Bugunotai; however, after the death of her husband, Alan-goa gave birth to three more: Bugu-Khadagi, Buhutu-Salchzhi and Bodonchar. Although, according to Alan-goa herself, her sons were born from a fair-haired man who came to her at night through the chimney of a yurt, some researchers (P. Rachnevsky, E.I. Alan-goa's house. Belgunotay, Bugunotay, Bugu-Khadagi and Buhutu-Salzhchi later founded the clans Belgunot, Bugunot, Khatagin and Saljiut, respectively; Bodonchar laid the foundation for the Borjigin family, where Genghis Khan came from.

Their khorig or Great Prohibition is an area of ​​240 km² in the Khenti aimag of Mongolia, difficult to access due to the densely forested mountains, the supposed place of Genghis Khan's tomb. It was believed sacred place, a visit to which was banned. Staying there was allowed only for the burial of the descendants of Genghis Khan. In the late 1980s, it became open to archaeologists.

Kingiyats, Kungiyats (Mong. Khingiyat) - one of the tribes of the medieval indigenous Mongols. They are an offshoot of the nirunas.

The location of the grave of Genghis Khan (died in 1227) has been the subject of numerous studies and conjectures up to the present time.

There are 4 names in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Mongolia (for 2011), this is 0.4% of the total (1121 for 2019). 3 sites are included in the list by cultural criteria and 1 site is included by natural criteria. In addition, as of 2017, 13 sites in Mongolia are among candidates for inclusion in the World Heritage List. Mongolia ratified the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on February 2, 1990. The first site located in Mongolia was listed in 2003 at the 27th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

Sukanuts (Mong. Suhainuud, sukhanuud) are one of the tribes of the medieval indigenous Mongols. They are an offshoot of the Baarin genus.

Sukans (Mong. Sukan, Sukhan) - one of the tribes of the medieval indigenous Mongols. They are an offshoot of the nirunas.

Uryankhays, Uryankhans (Mong. Urianhai) - one of the most ancient tribes that were part of the Darlekin group of Mongols. The descendants of this ancient family are now known in the composition of many Mongolian peoples.

Habturkhasy (Mong. Habturhas, havturkhad) is one of the tribes of the Nirun branch of the Mongols. They are an offshoot of the Borjigin genus.

Khaldun (Arabic: خلدون) is an Arabic name. The spelling is close to the name Khalid.

Taner, Khaldun

Ibn Khaldun

Khan-Khentei reserve or Khan-Khentiy reserve - strictly protected natural area with an area of ​​12 270 sq. km. The reserve was organized by a decree of the government of Mongolia in 1992 in the Khentei aimag. On the territory of the Khan-Khenteysky reserve are the upper reaches of the river. Onon. Before receiving status national park in 1993 the protected area Gorkhi-Terelzh was a part of the reserve, the reserve borders on it in the south. Onon-Baldzhinsky national park It was also a branch of the Khan-Khentei reserve and gained independence since 2007. There is a hot spring "Khalun-Usny-Arshan" on the territory of the reserve.

"The place of our last home should be here!"

The story of this article began 31 years ago. The idea to get acquainted with the data of written sources, which contain information about the life and death of the Great Khan, forced the author, a student of NSU, to conduct his first winter vacation in library. The first version of the article was published in the wall newspaper of the Faculty of Humanities. For more than a week, crowds of students gathered around her, from physicists to lyricists ... Subsequent attempts to publish the article in Mongolia and Japan were unsuccessful. Until now, the author has not tried to publish his article anymore, although its topic remains relevant to this day - the secret of the burial of Genghis Khan has remained unsolved

This article has a long background. Thirty-one years ago, the author passed his first session at the Faculty of Humanities, Novosibirsk State University. The idea to get acquainted with written sources, which could contain information about the life and death of the Great Khan, made him spend the winter holidays in the library. Article "Where is the grave of Genghis Khan?" in the spring of the same year it was published in "Logos", the wall newspaper of the faculty. For more than a week, crowds of students gathered around her ... This was the first and last "publication" of the article. In the next sixteen years, its versions, sent with an opportunity to Mongolia and Japan, disappeared without a trace, and the article returned from the magazine "Ural Pathfinder". Since then, the author no longer tried to publish it, although he constantly monitored publications on the topic. And judging by the latest data, the secret of the burial of Genghis Khan has not yet been revealed ...

According to the "Collection of Chronicles" of the medieval Arab historian Rashid ad-din, Genghis Khan died "on the fifteenth day of the middle autumn month of the year of the Pig, corresponding to the month of Ramadan 624 A.H." (1952, p. 233), that is, August 29, 1227, after an eight-day illness, at the age of 72 years. His death and burial are still shrouded in mystery, which gave rise to numerous legends about the last days of the Great Khan's life and about how and where he was buried. Here are some of them, told by the historian V.E. Larichev by the American anthropologist O. Lattimore, an expert on the history and culture of Mongolian cattle breeders (Larichev, 1968, p. 128).

So, one legend says that Genghis Khan was buried sitting on a golden throne in a deep tomb, which was arranged in the open steppe at the foot of one of the revered sacred mountains of Mongolia. The grave was filled up, and the surface of the earth was carefully leveled. After burial over the grave of Genghis Khan, they drove a twenty thousand herd of horses, after which it was no longer possible to find its traces. But before that, at this place, they killed a little camel in the presence of the mother. When the next year the time came to hold a commemoration for the Great Khan, none of the people who were at the burial could find the place of his burial. He was unmistakably found only by a she-camel, who immediately went to the place where her cub was killed a year ago, and began to roar. After the funeral, the story with the camel and the herd of horses repeated itself. And so it went on until the Mongols finally forgot the burial place of the Great Khan.

According to another legend, the grave of Genghis Khan is located at the bottom of the river. For its construction, the river was temporarily diverted to the side, and then re-launched along the old channel, forever hiding a rich tomb under the waves.

According to European travelers who visited Mongolia in the XIII century. - Plano Carpini, Guillaume de Rubruca, Marco Polo, - the burial of the deceased noble Mongols was done in secret and the place of the grave on the surface was not marked with anything. Carpini wrote that when constructing a grave, “in the field, they remove the grass from the roots and make a large pit, and on the side of this pit they make a hole under the ground (lining or catacomb. - Approx. Auth.) ... together with things, then they bury a hole, which is in front of his hole, and put grass on top (turf - Author's note), as it was before ... "(Travel to eastern countries..., 1957, p. 32-33). Together with the deceased, they buried his horses, tables with food and drinks, as well as "a lot of gold and silver", so the burial places, especially the burials of the khans, were carefully guarded by special detachments of guards (Book of Marco Polo, 1955, p. 88; Journey to Eastern Countries ..., 1957, p. 33, 102).

The place where Genghis Khan and his descendants were buried, Marco Polo called "Alhai". In his opinion, this is a mountain that lies north of Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire. He further explained that behind Alkhai lie the Bargu steppes (Book of Marco Polo, 1955, p. 88), that is, we are talking about modern Transbaikalia.

They are looking for historians, looking for archaeologists ...

In the first half of the XIX century. historian A. K. d "Osson wrote that" Mongol princes from the clan of Genghis Khan said that the mountain on which this sovereign was buried was called Khan ", and gave its coordinates:" 49 ° 54 "s. NS. and 9 ° 3 "to the west of the Peking meridian" (1937, vol. 1). Under these coordinates, Khentei Khan is located, where the rivers Onon, Kerulen, Tola and others originate.

In 1925, Academician V. Ya. Vladimirtsov saw in Urga (present-day Ulan Bator) a Mongolian map on which a mountain to the east of Small Khentei with the promising name “ Great land"Or" Great place ". But none of the locals have heard of a mountain with such a name - “old geographical names of various kinds ”, known from ancient chronicles, have not survived, with the exception of the names of the large rivers Tola, Onon and Kerulen.

Professor M.I. rivers Onon and Kerulen, that is, on the territory of Mongolia, but not in the Chita region and not in Buryatia ”(Rizhsky, 1965, p. 155). The assumption that the tomb of Genghis Khan should be looked for in the Khentei mountains was also expressed by the historian E.I. Kychanov (1973, p. 131). However, undertaken in Mongolia in the early 1960s. The search for the grave of Genghis Khan by a comprehensive expedition of German archaeologists led by Schubert did not yield any results (Larichev, 1968: 127-128).

In 2000, information appeared that Chinese archaeologists discovered the grave of Genghis Khan in the north of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, near the city of Chingil ( Lenta.ru).

The following year, the Mongol-American archaeological expedition "Chinggis Khan" led by Professor D. Woods in the Khenteysky aimag near the Russian-Mongolian border (338 km northeast of Ulan Bator) discovered the burial ground. Among local residents this burial ground of four dozen graves, surrounded by a high wall, is also known as the "Chinggis Castle". Another grave was found fifty kilometers away, in which about a hundred soldiers were buried. According to Woods, these are the same soldiers who, according to legend, were killed so that they would not reveal the secret of the burial place of Genghis Khan ( NEWSru.com; Morning.ru). These are the most fruitful results in the search for the tomb of Genghis Khan, although the question remained open: for further archaeological excavations the consent of the Mongolian government is required.

Finally, members of the joint Japanese-Mongolian expedition, which since 2001 have been excavating an ancient mausoleum in the Avragi region (250 km from the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator), in 2004 also announced that they would soon find the legendary grave. Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of the building and the altars on which the horses were burned. Judging by the scale of the sacrifices, the mausoleum was dedicated to a noble person. Chinese incense burners with images of dragons were also found here. In the Persian chronicles, it is mentioned that not far from the grave of Genghis Khan, incense burners of just such a shape are constantly burning. As the members of the expedition believe, now, in order to find the grave, it is necessary to dig up a space within a radius of 12 km from the mausoleum, which should take about three years ( Centrasia.ru).

And the forest grew over the grave of the Great Khan

Information about the death of Chinggis Khan can be found in the medieval written sources "Altan Deptter" ("The Golden Book") and in "Yuan chao bi shi" ("The Secret History of the Mongols", which in S. A. Kozin's translation is called "The Secret legend. Chronicle of 1240 "(1941)). Although the Mongolian text of the official Altan Depter has not survived, it formed the basis for the aforementioned Collection of Chronicles by Rashid ad-din (Gumilev, 1977, p. 485). Only at the latter we can find information about the burial place of Genghis Khan (Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 158-159; 233-235).

According to Rashid ad-din, the Great Khan died during the siege of the Tangut capital of Chzhongxing by Mongol troops (in the territory of modern China). Genghis Khan was seriously ill and considered his death inevitable. He bequeathed to his entourage not to announce his death, but when the sovereign and the inhabitants of Tangut left the city at the appointed time, they were all destroyed at once. Just on the eve of the death of Genghis Khan, the population of the capital of the Tangut state, exhausted by the long siege, agreed to surrender to the mercy of the victor. The commanders carried out his order: this is how Genghis Khan, being dead, won his next - last victory!

After that, his body was placed on a chariot and secretly sent to Mongolia, accompanied by a large escort. There are many legends, songs and stories about this last path of the Great Khan. There is a memory that the guards killed everyone who met them on the way, so that the news of the death of the Mongol Lord would not spread prematurely. And only three months later, after long funeral ceremonies, Chinggis Khan, together with the "forty the most beautiful girls"(Kychanov, 1973) was buried in the ancestral lands of the Borjigins near big mountain Burkhan Khaldun in a place that he once chose himself.

This happened when the Great Khan once during a hunt stopped to rest under a large tree standing alone in the steppe (given that the grave was near the mountain, by “steppe” and “plain” Rashid ad-din obviously meant its gentle slopes) ... Turning to his entourage, he said: "The place of our last dwelling should be here!" There is no guarantee that these words are accurately conveyed. The source clearly says that this wish was never written down, but fulfilled from the words of those who "then heard these words from him." In addition, Rashid ad-din has another record about the “reserved place”: “This area is suitable for my burial. Let it be celebrated! "

Subsequently, the youngest son of Genghis Khan Tului Khan, the sons of the latter (including Kublai Khan in 1294, that is, already at the end of the 13th century!) And other descendants were buried in this place. But the appearance of the "reserved place" by this time had changed beyond recognition: from a "steppe" with a single tree it turned into a dense forest. And it happened “in the same year” when Genghis Khan was buried. Perhaps Rashid ad-din only cited another legend in his book, but it is possible that we are talking about artificial forest plantations, which were supposed to hide the burial place of Genghis Khan from enemies and robbers. The Mongols really knew how to replant trees, judging by the reports of Plano Karpini and Rubruk (Journey to the Eastern Countries .., 1957, p. 32).

Considering that Chinggis Khan was buried around the end of November 1227, the likelihood of the appearance of a "forest" in the same year is quite high. The forest in the "reserved place" was additional protection“Calmness” of the buried Great Khan: the Mongols had a cult of both individual trees and entire groves, where it was not even possible to enter (ibid., P. 201). For the same purpose, the forest Uryankhats - “a thousand emir of the left wing of Fortune” and his descendants - were instructed to guard this place.

"The story of the death of Genghis Khan, the murder of the sovereign Tangut and the beating of the entire population of this city, the secret return of the emirs with his coffin, the delivery to the hordes, the announcement of this woeful event and the mourning and burial" (Rashid ad-din, 1952 , p. 233-235):

The protection of the “reserved place” still existed at the beginning of the XIV century, which allowed Rashid ad-din to note: “Now the forest is so dense that it is impossible to get through it, and this first tree and the burial place of Chinggis Khan are completely unrecognizable. Even the old forest guards, guarding that place, do not find a way to it ”((Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 234).

Where is Burkhan Khaldun located?

So, only one Rashid ad-din in the annals that he created between 1300-1310 / 11, named the burial place of Chinggis Khan - Burkhan Khaldun.

What area of ​​Mongolia the Mongols knew at the beginning of the XIV century. under this name? Describing this mountain, Rashid-ad-din gives a detailed listing of the rivers that originate on it: from the south side - Kerulen, from the east - Onon, from the north and north-east - the right tributaries of the Selenga, from the south-west - Tola and right tributaries of the Orkhon. “A lot of forests grow along these rivers, where the tribes of the Taijiuts live (the Borjigin clan, from which Genghis Khan came, was from this tribe. - Approx. ed.). Summer and winter camps of Genghis Khan were within the same limits ”(Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 233). Rubruk also reports that the land where the court of Genghis Khan was located was called Onankerule ", that is, it was located in the region of the Onon and Kerulen rivers (Journey to the Eastern Countries .., 1957, pp. 116, 229). Two years before the death of Genghis Khan, his headquarters was located in the same area, at the source of the Tola River (Kychanov, 1973: 124-125).

In modern notes to the "Collection of Chronicles" Rashid ad-din notes that, judging by geographical indications the author, Burkhan-Khaldun, possibly there is a modern mountain knot Khentey (Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 234). The latter is a large mountainous country. Nevertheless, Rashid ad-din, speaking about the proximity of the Taijiut tribes and the nomads of Genghis Khan, indirectly points to the exact location of Burkhan Khaldun - in the sources of Onon and Kerulen.

In addition, he reports that from the area of ​​Delyun-Boldok (Bulun-Buldak) in the lower reaches of the river. Onon, where Genghis Khan was born (by chance or not, but the place of Temujin's birth has retained its name to this day. - Author's note), it is six days' journey to the place of his burial (ibid.). Rubruk writes that from the city of Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire, to the ancestral lands of Onankerule ten days' journey (Journey to the Eastern Countries .., 1957, p. 154). Knowing the distance that can be covered in one day's journey, the general direction of movement (from Onon to the south-west, and from Karakorum first to the north along Orkhon, then along Tole to the northeast), at the intersection of the end of the days of travel from the indicated places, you can to determine the place where Burkhan Khaldun mountain is located within the former tribal nomad camps of Genghis Khan.

To localize the latter in the Hentei system, let us turn to the "Secret Legend" of the Mongols. Valuable information about Burkhan Khaldun can be gleaned from the description of the historical period of the end of the 12th century, when the Mongols were united, and Chinggis Khan was called Temujin from the Borjigin clan.

One of the places where Temuchzhin wandered at this time was called the Burgi-ergi tract, on the southern slope of Burkhan-Khaldun in the headwaters of Kerulen. This is where a story took place that sheds light on the dimensions of Burkhan Khaldun - its height and circumference. Once, during a wandering near Burgi-ergi, “when the air only begins to turn yellow” (ie, at dusk - Ed. Note), the Taijiuts attacked Temujin. Warned in time, Temujin and his brothers set off from the parking lot and, even before dawn, climbed Burkhan, that is, in a very short period of time. The pursuers “in the footsteps of Temujin walked around Burkhan Khaldun three times, but could not catch him. We dashed to and fro, followed his trail through such swamps, through such more often ... ”(Kozin, 1941, pp. 96, 97). In addition, they had to overcome the Tungelik, Tana, Sangur rivers flowing down from the southern slopes of Burkhan Khaldun, and the Tula black forest on the northern slope. It is known that the Sangur River was also part of the Temujin's nomadic area (“Temujin in three days and three nights drove home to the Sangur River”) (Kozin, 1941: 95).

Analyzing the text of the "Secret Legend", one can notice that Burkhan-Khaldun is mentioned only in combination with the sources of Kerulen. At the same time, not far from its northern side, apparently, the Tola (Tuul) river flowed, which gave the name to the pine forest on its slope. Judging by this geographic reference, Mount Burkhan-Khaldun is located between the upper reaches of the Kerulen rivers in the south and Tola in the north.

The story of the forest guards who guarded the burial place of Genghis Khan (Rashid-ad-din, "Collection of chronicles", 1952, pp. 158-159):

As for the location of the sources of Onon, which were also part of the nomadic camps of Genghis Khan (Onankerule), in the "Secret Legend" it is associated with the area of ​​Botogan-Boorchzhi. This suggests that the latter is the name of some mountainous region. It is known that Onon, Kerulen and Tola originate in Hentei not far from each other. This means that Burkhan-Khaldun and Botogan-Boorchzhi are the ancient names of individual regions of the Khentei Mountains; names that have not survived to our time, but were in use at the end of the XII-XIII centuries.

The Taijiut pursuers during the above-described incident were able to follow Temujin's footsteps in such a short period of time three times bypass Burkhan Khaldun, involuntarily giving us an indication of its size. But already during Rashid ad-din, the name Burkhan-Khaldun loses the designation of a certain section of the mountainous region, where the upper reaches of the Kerulen and Tola are located, and is transferred to a wider territory - the entire mountain Khentei.

Insofar as northern slopes Burkhan Khaldun in the XIII century. were covered with forest - the Tula black forest, then the southern ones were supposed to be a forest-steppe with swamps and floodplain forests, as follows from the data of Rashid-ad-din. Therefore, it is the southern slope of Burkhan-Khaldun that best fits the description of the "Reserved place".

Thus, the "last dwelling" of Chinggis Khan is, apparently, in the upper reaches of the right bank of the Kerulen, on the southern slope of the mountain, which in the XII-XIII centuries. was called Burkhan-Khaldun. This is a small in circumference and height, an easily accessible mountainous area of ​​the Khenteiskaya mountainous country with clear boundaries. Whether the legendary forest that has grown overnight has survived on its southern slopes is hard to say. And researchers in further searches should remember: "The reserved place" is a family cemetery, and the grave of the Great Khan is far from the only one there.

Literature

Gumilev L. N. "Secret" and "explicit" history of the Mongols of the XII-XIII centuries. Tatar-Mongols in Asia and Europe. Moscow: Nauka, 1977, p. 484-502.

D "Osson A. K. History of the Mongols. From Genghis Khan to Tamerlane. Irkutsk, 1937, vol. 1.

Kirillov I. I., Rizhsky M. I. Essays ancient history Transbaikalia. Chita, 1973.

Book by Marco Polo. M., 1955.

Kozin S.A. Chronicle 1240 Yuan chao bi shi. M., L., 1941.

Kychanov E.I. Life of Temuchzhin, who thought to conquer the world. M., 1973.

Larichev VE Asia distant and mysterious (Essays on travels. For antiquities in Mongolia). Novosibirsk: Science, 1968.

Travel to the eastern countries of Plano Carpini and Rubruk. M., 1957.

Rashid ad-din. Collection of chronicles. M., L., 1952.Vol. 1, book. 12.

Rizhsky M.I. From the depths of centuries. Irkutsk, 1965.

Mount Burkhan-Khaldun is located in the northeastern part of Mongolia, in the Khentiy province, on the territory of the Khan-Khentei nature reserve. Burkhan Khaldun has the shape of a crescent, its peak is at an altitude of 2362 meters above sea level, on the slopes of the mountain the rivers Onon and Kherlen originate. The mountain is considered sacred by the Mongols - at its foot was the ancestral nomad of Genghis Khan, on the slopes of the mountain young Temujin hid from the mortal enemies of his family - the Merkits and, according to one of the many versions, his grave is also located here. During his lifetime, Genghis Khan declared Mount Burkhan Khaldun sacred and bequeathed to his descendants to honor and worship the mountain: "Let us worship her every morning and offer prayers every day. May the descendants of my descendants understand!" There are many versions about the location of Genghis Khan's grave; many seekers of his burial believe that the first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire was buried on sacred grief Burkhan Khaldun. In the book "Collection of Chronicles" dedicated to the history of the Mongol Empire, the Persian historian and statesman Rashid ad-Din, who lived in the second half of the 13th - early 14th centuries, writes that Genghis Khan himself chose Mount Burkhan Khaldun as a place for his burial. Once, while hunting, he dismounted by a lonely willow tree and said: "This area is suitable for my burial! Let it be celebrated!" In fact, the burial place of Genghis Khan is unknown and his grave has not yet been found. The chronicle "The Secret Legend of the Mongols" says that Genghis Khan died in 1227, during a military campaign against the Tangut kingdom, immediately after the fall of the capital Zhongxing. His body was taken to Burkhan Khaldun for more than 1,500 kilometers, so that the grave would not be found and not desecrated, a herd of horses was driven several times over it, and then planted with trees. The tomb of the Great Khan was guarded by a thousand Uryankhai warriors, who did not leave the mountain for a minute. Chronicles say that the son of Genghis Khan Tolui and his grandchildren, the great Khan Mongke and the khans Arik-Buga and Khubilai, are also buried on the slopes of Mount Burkhan Khaldun. The burial place, called the Great Reserve, eventually overgrown with dense forest, and soon the guards themselves could no longer find the burial place of Genghis Khan. On the top, on the slopes and at the foot of the mountain, there are many sanctuaries (ovu), the mountain is worshiped, gifts are brought and venerated. In 2015, the sacred mountain Burkhan Khaldun was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Khenti aimag

BURKHAN-KHALDUN

Burkhan Khaldun a mountain range in the upper reaches of the Onon, Kerulen, Tola and Tungelik rivers in Northeastern Khentei (Mongolia). It is believed that the name translates as "willow god" or "willow hill". Although the question of the location of Burkhan Khaldun is still controversial, Mongolian scientists talk about two mountains with this name, located close to each other: among the Uryankhai tribe - Erdeni uul (2303 m) and Hamug Mongols - Khentei Khan uul (2362 m).

Burkhan Khaldun is closely related to the name of Genghis Khan. The first monument of medieval Mongolian historiography "The Secret Legend of the Mongols" says that the ancestors of Genghis Khan Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral migrated to Burkhan Khaldun. These places were famous for their good hunters and beautiful lands.

On Burkhan Khaldun, young Temujin was hiding from the Merkit enemies (that was the name of Genghis Khan before he was proclaimed khan). When the Merkits came to Temujin's nomadic camp in order to avenge the fact that his father Yesugai took the girl away from them and took him as his wife, he climbed this forest-covered peak. Enemies followed his trail through thickets and swamps, where "a well-fed snake could not crawl", but did not find him, went downstairs, captured Temujin's beloved wife Borte-uchzhin and rode away. According to the legend, Temujin then said: “Sparing only my life, I climbed Khaldun on a single horse, wandering along elk fords, resting in a hut made of branches. Burkhan-Khaldun protected my life, like a swallow. I experienced great horror. Let us worship her [that is, grief] every morning and offer prayers every day. Let the descendants of my descendants understand! " Then he turned to face the sun, tied his belt around his neck, took off his hat, bared his chest, bowed nine times to the sun and performed sprinkling and prayer. Subsequently, Genghis Khan severely punished his offenders, and there is reason to think that they could have been sacrificed to Burkhan Khaldun.

The episode of the flight of the future great conqueror to Burkhan Khaldun gave rise to numerous legends and interpretations. In particular, the fact that he hid in a hut made of willow branches is sometimes understood as a special initiation rite, after which Temujin acquired sacredness. Several centuries later, the Mongols believed that Temujin was hiding from the Merkits on Mount Bogo-ula, south of present-day Ulan Bator.

Apparently, Burkhan Khaldun became the resting place of the Mongol khans, starting from Genghis Khan himself. According to the famous Persian historian and statesman of the 13th - 14th centuries Rashid ad-Ain, “Genghis Khan [himself] chose this place for his burial and commanded:“ Our burial place ... will be here! ” ... It was like this: once Genghis Khan was out hunting; a lone tree grew in one of these places. He dismounted under him and there he found a certain consolation. He said: "This area is suitable for my burial! Let it be celebrated!" The princes and emirs, according to the command, chose that place for his grave. They say that in the same year in which he was buried, the number of willow trees grew in that steppe. Now the forest is so thick that it is impossible to get through it, and this first tree and burial place is not recognized. Even the old forest guards guarding this place cannot find their way to it. " The body of Genghis Khan was taken for burial in Burkhan Hamun almost 1600 km away, since he died during the war of the stan gutami. When Mongke Khan died, his body was also delivered to Burkhan Khaldun from afar - from South China. Access to the khan's graves was strictly prohibited. They were guarded by Uriankhai warriors who were never sent on military campaigns.

The personality of Chingiz-Khanabyl is sacaral not only during his lifetime, his remains continue to perform important cosmogonic functions, ordering the life of the peoples under his control. Since the khan's graves had the status of shrines, it was necessary to carefully protect them from mock enemies, since the desecration of other people's graves has been widely practiced in Central Asia since ancient times. It was believed that it was not enough just to deal with the enemy - he was dangerous even after death, as a warlike spirit and patron of his people. Therefore, the nomads looked for the graves of the rulers of the hostile side, They removed the remains from there and destroyed them. The Mongols did the same. In addition, there were always those who wanted to excavate graves in search of treasures.

According to some reports, the khan's grave was buried at night and horses were driven over it so that no trace of it would remain. Among the Mongols, there is a belief that after the herd was driven over the grave of Genghis Khan, her baby camel was buried next to the camel's eyes, and by her cry they found that place. It is believed that the forest was planted there artificially. Attempts to find the khan's burials on Burkhan-Khaldun have so far not been crowned with success. Among the Mongols, a protest is growing against the excavations, which are regarded as the desecration of shrines.

Over time, the necropolis on Burkhan Khaldun turned into a sanctuary where idols stood and incense was burned. However, after the fall of the Mongol Empire and the strife among the Mongols, Burkhan-Khaldun lost its consolidating role in Mongolian society, the places of the khan's graves were forgotten, and their protection was no longer carried out. There were rumors that Genghis Khan was buried in the town of Ejen-Khoro (now it is located on the territory of the Autonomous Region Inner Mongolia, China), where the reliquary of Genghis Khan and his son Tului, called "Eight White Yurts", was created, and where applicants for the khanate received the blessing of the spirit of the unifier of Mongolia. In Ejen Khoro, to this day, solemn ceremonies in honor of the deified Genghis Khan are held, attracting not only his spiritual followers, but also tourists. Nevertheless, Burkhan Khaldun firmly entered the shamanic lists of the sacred objects of Mongolia, and sprinkles and prayers were made to him according to the will of Genghis Khan.

At present, from the west, Burkhan-Khaldun is adjacent to the Khan-Khentei reserve and the Terelzh national park. Thus, a vast complex specially protected natural and historical territory is being formed, suitable for the development of tourism.