Is The Tomb Of Genghis Khan Hidden And Protected In The Khentii Mountains Because Some Fear It’s Cursed?
Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - What ancient secrets are hidden in the Khentii Mountains? Is the tomb of the great warrior Genghis Khan hidden deep inside the mountains? Is this the reason why this region is a protected zone that we are not allowed to enter?
Credit: Adobe Stock - Andrey Burmakin
The location of the tomb of Genghis Khan remains an unsolved ancient mystery. Finding the burial place of the 13th-century warrior, conqueror, and imperial ruler would be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Still, all attempts to locate the ancient tomb have failed so far. Is it because the tomb of Genghis Khan is deliberately hidden and protected from the outside world because some fear it’s cursed?
Ancient Secrets Of Sacred Burkhan Khaldun Mountain – Protected And Forbidden Zone
Many experts believe Genghis Khan was buried somewhere in a valley near the sacred Mongolian mountain of Burkhan Khaldun, near his birthplace in Khentii Aimag, northeastern Mongolia.
Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding landscape lie in the central part of the Khentii Mountains chain that forms the watershed between the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.
Burkhan Khaldun Mountain - Image credit: Wikipedia
It is believed that Genghis Khan built a beautiful place in the Khentii Mountains, called the Great Taboo or Ikh Khorig, by the Mongols. According to an ancient legend Genghis Khan stated that this was the place where he wanted to be buried.
Many historians suspect Genghis Khan’s tomb was a vast necropolis deep inside the mountains. After the construction was completed, all tomb builders were executed to conceal the secret. Even the soldiers who killed the builders of the tomb were executed. One historical source holds that 10,000 horsemen “trampled the ground so as to make it even.” Another source states a forest was planted over the site to hide the leader in his final resting place.
Today, it’s challenging to judge how much of this is true, but there are reasons to suspect the tomb of Genghis Khan, the Great Khan and founder of the Mongol Empire is really buried somewhere in the Khentii Mountains.
Investigating the region and looking for Khan’s tomb is easier said than done because the Mongolian government forbids access to the site.
For 800 years, Mongolia's sacred mountain, Burkhan Khaldun, associated with Genghis Khan's origin, has been part of the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area. Tourists and travelers are forbidden to enter this remote area.
Genghis Khan as portrayed in a 14th-century Yuan era album; the original version was black and white. The original size is 47 cm wide and 59.4 cm high. Paint and ink on silk. Now located in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. Credit: Public Domain
Some years ago, an expedition supported by the University of California, San Diego, and the National Geographic Society was granted permission to explore the mountain range. National Geographic’s Valley of the Khans Project and archaeologist Fredrik Hiebert used satellite imagery to identify potential locations for the burial site of Genghis Khan and then “ground-truthed” the areas with GPR to determine their viability.
The tomb of Genghis Khan was not found. Are we looking in the wrong place, or is it simply very well hidden?
Fear The Tomb Of Genghis Khan Is Cursed
Many traditional Mongolians are afraid Khan's tomb is cursed. Some fear finding Genghis Khan's tomb will bring about the end of the world.
People connect the search for Khan's tomb with the discovery of the resting place of Timur, a 14th Century Turko-Mongol military leader who conquered most of the Muslim world, central Asia, and parts of India.
When Timur died in 1405, his tomb was inscribed with one of the most convincing curses in history, reading: "When I rise from the dead, the world shall tremble."
The quest for Khans' tomb will continue. The Genghis Khan statue complex Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Credit: Adobe Stock - Nuttee
Another inscription on his casket read: "Whomsoever opens my tomb shall unleash an invader more terrible than I." Russian archaeologists ignored the warning and opened the tomb. Three days later, Adolf Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the largest-ever military invasion of the Soviet Union.
Many think that opening the cursed tomb of Timur tomb triggered some of the biggest struggles of World War 2, and they worry something similar might happen if Genghis Khan's tomb is located and opened.
According to historian John Man finding the tomb in Mongolia would have 'geopolitical repercussions'
In his book Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection, he wrote: “Many people in China believe Mongolia, like Tibet, should be part of China, as it was under Kublai Khan.
"If China succeeds in establishing mining rights in Mongolia and a dominance over that industry, then Genghis’s tomb might become a focal point for political ambitions, the like of which we have never seen.”
Interestingly, not one single artifact has been found that belonged to the leader who killed more than 40 million people.
Perhaps some things are not meant to be found...
Updated on November 27, 2023
Written By Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesMore From Ancient Pages
-
10 Christian Symbols Explained
Ancient Symbols | Jul 28, 2018
-
DNA Identifies Historical Remains Of George Washington’s Relatives
DNA | Mar 29, 2024
-
Strange Flat Idol Sculpture From Bactria Remains Unexplained
Artifacts | Sep 26, 2019
-
Limestone Stela Of Liberation Discovered In Kom Ombo Temple In Aswan, Egypt
Archaeology | Oct 17, 2018
-
Madame de Pompadour – Powerful And Hated Mistress – Sex, Manipulation And Intrigue In Versailles
Featured Stories | Jul 12, 2018
-
Massive trophy skull rack discovered in the Aztec ruins
Artifacts | Aug 22, 2015
-
Ushabti: Servants Who Worked For Their Owners In Afterlife In Ancient Egyptian Beliefs
Ancient History Facts | Feb 12, 2020
-
Aditi – Primeval Hindu Goddess Who Is Source Of All Living Beings
Featured Stories | Apr 3, 2021
-
Medieval Bollock Dagger – Also Known As Kidney Dagger Discovered In Belgium
Archaeology | Mar 30, 2022
-
Fascinating Artificial Caves Of Ventanillas de Otuzco And Its Secret Passageways – Pre-Inca Necropolis Of The Cajamarca Culture
Featured Stories | Feb 5, 2022
-
On This Day In History: Vlad III Dracula Regained Throne Of Wallachia For The Third Time – On Nov 26, 1476
News | Nov 26, 2016
-
On This Day In History: Myles Coverdale Who Printed First English Bible Died – On Jan 20, 1569
News | Jan 20, 2017
-
2,000 Year-Old Books Written By Bian Que The Divine Healer Unearthed
Artifacts | May 13, 2014
-
Khufu Boat And Unique Boat-Building Technique Of Ancient Egyptians
Artifacts | Jun 20, 2017
-
2,000 Years Ago Mysterious Foreigner With Unique Ancestry Traveled To Cambridgeshire – Who Was He?
Archaeology | Dec 27, 2023
-
Anglo-Saxon Harpole Treasure Reveals More Secrets – Unique Medieval Silver Cross Found
Archaeology | Jan 31, 2023
-
380-Million-Year-Old Heart – The Oldest Ever Found Sheds New Light On Evolution Of Human Bodies
Archaeology | Sep 16, 2022
-
Ancient Irish Games Hurling And Curling Were Forbidden In 1366 By The Englishmen
Ancient History Facts | Jul 23, 2016
-
Sociopolitical Organization In Mesoamerica Influenced Developed Writing Systems And Communication
Archaeology | Feb 16, 2022
-
On This Day In History: Simon Fraser – The Last Man In Britain To Be Executed On Tower Green, London – On Apr 9, 1747
News | Apr 9, 2017