Mount Burkhan-Khaldun is located in the northeastern part of Mongolia, in the Khentii province, on the territory of the Khan-Khentei reserve. Burkhan Khaldun has the shape of a crescent, its peak is located at an altitude of 2362 meters above sea level, on the slopes of the mountain the Onon and Kherlen rivers originate. The mountain is considered sacred by the Mongols - at its foot was the ancestral nomad camp of Genghis Khan, on the slopes of the mountain young Temujin was hiding from the mortal enemies of his family - the Merkits, and, according to one of the many versions, his grave is also located here. Even during his lifetime, Genghis Khan declared Mount Burkhan Khaldun sacred and bequeathed to his descendants to honor and worship the mountain: "Let us worship it every morning and offer prayers every day. May the descendants of my descendants understand!" There are many versions about the location of the grave of Genghis Khan, many seekers of his burial believe that the first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire was buried on sacred mountain 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 near a lone willow and said: "This area is suitable for my burial! Let it be marked!" In fact, the burial place of Genghis Khan is unknown and his grave has not yet been found. The chronicle "The Secret History 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 Zhongsin. His body was taken to Burkhan-Khaldun for more than 1,500 kilometers, so that the grave would not be found and desecrated, a herd of horses was driven several times over it, and then planted with trees. The grave of the Great Khan was guarded by a thousand Uriankhai warriors who did not leave the mountain even for a minute. Chronicles say that Genghis Khan's son Tolui and his grandsons - the great Khan Mongke and the khans Arig-buga and Khubilai are also buried on the slopes of Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. The burial place, called the Great Reserve, over time became overgrown with dense forest, and soon the guards themselves could no longer find the burial place of Genghis Khan. On the top, slopes and at the foot of the mountain there are many sanctuaries (ovu), the mountain is worshiped, brought gifts and revered. In 2015, the sacred mountain Burkhan-Khaldun was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Mount Burkhan-Khaldun Burkhan Khaldun Uul Address: Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, Khentii Province, Mongolia Tel: +976 11-322111 Fax: +976 11-314208 Email: [email protected] Web: kkpa.mn/index.php?cid=50	How to get there: international Airport Genghis Khan - 300 km Ulaanbaatar hotels - 290 km Nearest locality- the village of Mengenmort is located at a distance of 90 km From Ulan Bator you should go in the direction of Naylakh - Erdene - Bayandelger - Baganuur - Mengenmort The best way to visit Mount Burkhan-Khaldun is an organized group or individual tour	Validity: constantly Price: 3000 MNT / 1 person Fee for visiting the Khan-Khentei Reserve - 3000 MNT

Khentii aimag

BURKHAN-KHALDUN

Burkhan Khaldun mountain range in the upper reaches of the rivers Onon, Kerulen, Tola and Tungelik in North-Eastern Khentei (Mongolia). It is believed that the name translates as "willow god" or "willow hill". Although the question of the location of Burkhan-Khaldun still causes controversy, Mongolian scientists speak of two mountains with the same name, located not far from each other: among the Uryankhai tribe - Erdeni uul (2303 m) and the Khamug-Mongols - Khentei Khan uul (2362 m).

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

On Burkhan-Khaldun, young Temujin was hiding from the Merkits (that was the name of Genghis Khan before he was proclaimed Khan). When the Merkits came to Temujin's nomad camp 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 cannot crawl", but did not find him, went down, captured Temujin's beloved wife Borte-ujin and galloped away. According to legend, Temujin then said: “Spare only my life, on a single horse, wandering through the elk fords, resting in a hut of branches, I climbed Khaldun. Burkhan-Khaldun protected my life like a swallow. I experienced great horror. Let us every morning worship her [that is, mountain] and daily offer up prayers. May the descendants of my descendants understand!” Then he turned to face the sun, tied his sash around his neck, took off his hat, bared his chest, bowed nine times to the sun, and sprinkled and prayed. 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 took refuge 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 Bogoo-ula, south of present-day Ulaanbaatar.

Apparently, Burkhan-Khaldun became the resting place of the Mongol khans, starting with Genghis Khan himself. As the famous Persian historian and statesman of the XIII-XIV centuries Rashid ad-Ain reports, “Genghis Khan [himself] chose this place for his burial and commanded: “Our burial place ... will be here!” ... The situation was like this: once Genghis Khan was on a hunt; in one of these places grew a lone tree. He dismounted under it, and there found some comfort. He said, "This area is suitable for my burial! Let it be marked!" The princes and emirs, according to the command, chose that place for his grave. It is said that in the same year in which he was buried, a numerical number of willow trees grew in that steppe. Now the forest is so dense that it is impossible to get through it, and this first tree and the burial place are not identified. Even the old forest guards who guard this place cannot find their way to it.” The body of Genghis Khan was taken for burial in Burkhan-Khamun almost 1600 km away, since he died during the war of the Gutami. When Khan Mongke died, his body was also brought 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 Genghis Khan was sacred not only during his lifetime, his remains continue to perform important cosmogonic functions, streamlining the life of the peoples subject to him. Since the khan's graves had the status of shrines, it was necessary to carefully protect them from desecration by 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 searched for the graves of the rulers of the hostile side, removed the remains from there and destroyed them. The Mongols did the same. In addition, there were always those who wanted to dig up the 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 there would be no trace of it. There is a belief among the Mongols that after the herd was driven over the grave of Genghis Khan, her camel was buried in front of the camel's eyes, and that place was found by her cry. It is believed that the forest there was planted artificially. Attempts to find the khan's burials at Burkhan-Khaldun have not been successful so far. Among the Mongols, a protest is growing against the excavations, which are regarded as 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 that began 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 place of Ejen-Khoro (now it is located on the territory of the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia, China), where the reliquary of Genghis Khan and his son Tului, called "Eight White Yurts", was created, and where the pretenders to the khanate received the blessing of the spirit unifier of Mongolia. Solemn ceremonies in honor of the deified Genghis Khan are still held in Ejen-Khoro, attracting not only his spiritual followers, but also tourists. Nevertheless, Burkhan-Khaldun was firmly included in the shamanic lists of sacred objects in Mongolia, and he was sprinkled and prayed according to the will of Genghis Khan.

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

Etymology

• "Sacred willow", literally "rightness of God-willow": from Mong. burkhan- "rightness of God" and daur. khaldun- "willow"
• "Willow Hill": from Middle Mong. burgan- "willow", "grove".

Meaning

In the picture of the world of the medieval Mongols, Burkhan-Khaldun is one of the sacral centers. According to the "Secret Tale", the first ancestors of Genghis Khan Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral wandered to Burkhan-Khaldun, at the source of Onon. At the foot of Burkhan-Khaldun was the ancestral nomad camp of Genghis Khan, on the slopes he fled from the persecution of the Merkits. It is mentioned that the captive Merkit Khaatai-Darmala was "dedicated to Burkhan-Khaldun" by putting a block around his neck, although it is not clear 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. Their burial place, called their chorig(“Great Reserve”), guarded by a special thousand warriors from the Uryankat tribe (Uriankhaians). These warriors, led by the thousand-man Luck and his descendants, did not go on military campaigns, inseparably 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

Currently, most researchers identify Burkhan-khaldun with the Khentei mountain range located in the Khentii aimag of Mongolia with the central peak Khan-Khentei ( 48°58′45″ N. sh. 108°42′47″ E d.) with a height of about 2362 m.

Sources and literature

• Mongolian ordinary izbornik // 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 al-Din. Collection of annals / Translated from Persian by L. A. Khetagurov, editorial 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 al-Din. Collection of annals / Translated 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. The pranks of Mongolian archaeologists. Telegraph "Around the World" (19. 02. 2009). Retrieved October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012.
• Mongolia Sacred Mountains: Bogd Khan, Burkhan Khaldun, Otgon Tenger(English) . UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012.
• Croner D. Burkhan Khaldun - Chingis Khan's Sacred Mountain. Don Croner's World Wide Wanders. Retrieved October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012.

alan goa

Alan-goa is the legendary progenitor of the Nirun Mongols, the dominant phratry of the Khamag Mongols (Mongols before the creation of the Mongol Empire). According to legend, she was the daughter of Horilartai-Mergan, the leader of the Hori-Tumats, and Bargudzhin-Goa, the daughter of the ruler of the Barguts.

Due to the fact that in the Hori-Tumat lands there were quarrels over hunting grounds, the father of Alan-goa, noyon Horilartai-Mergan, decided to stand out in a separate clan (obok) - Horilar, 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-Sohor. Alan-goa, being unmarried, was married to Dobun-Mergan.

From Dobun-Mergan, Alan-goa had two sons - Belgunotai and Bugunotai; three more - Bugu-Khadagi, Bukhatu-Salzhi and Bodonchar - were born after the death of her husband. This aroused the suspicions of 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 bunch of five tied twigs and again asked them to break it, but this time none of them managed to do it. 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 bunch of five twigs, it will be much more difficult to defeat them. Alan-goa also revealed the secret of the birth of her three younger sons: according to her, every night a light-blond (or red-haired) man appeared to Alan-goa, the light from which penetrated into her womb. Similar legends are found among a number of peoples, for example, among the Khitans related 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 acceptable. The sons of Alan-goa Belgunotai, Bugunotai, Bugu-Khatagi and Buhutu-Salzhi became the founders of the Belgunot, Bugunot, Khatagin and Saldzhiut clans; the youngest son, Bodonchar, became the ancestor of the Borjigins. Genghis Khan came from this family.

Artakany

Artakans, hartakans, arikans (mong. artahan, hartakhan) - one of the tribes of the Nirun branch of the Mongols. They are an offshoot of the genus Borjigin.

Bogd-Khan-Uul

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 related to Ulaanbaatar, from the south it adjoins city. The height of the mountain is 2256.3 m.

Borte Chino

Borte-Chino (Burte-Chine; Mong. Borte Chino - "gray wolf") - the legendary progenitor of the Mongols, as well as the ancestor of Genghis Khan. According to the Secret History of the Mongols, he was born "by the will of the Highest Heaven"; Together with his wife Goa-Maral, he crossed the Tengis Sea and settled near the banks of the Onon River, on Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. According to E. N. Kychanov, this event took place around 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 annals of the 17th century, “Altan Tobchi” Borte-Chino is called the third son of Dalai Subin Altan Sandalitu Khan, who was a descendant of the first Tibetan Khudzugun Sandalitu Khan. Thus, later Mongolian sources, obeying the Buddhist historiographical tradition, brought Borte Chino out of India and Tibet, from the country from which their new Buddhist faith came to the Mongols. P. B. Konovalov, in the interpretation of Borte-Chino as the son of a Tibetan ruler, sees the ancient genetic links between the ancestors of the Mongols and the Jun tribes, some of which were also the ancestors of the Tibetan tribes.

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

IN historical monuments there are lines stating that Genghis Khan, while on a hunt in the Khangai mountains, ordered: “Borte Chino and Goa Maral will fall into a round-up. Don't go to them." Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral, the distant ancestors of the Mongols, were also their ongons (the spirits of the ancestors of the clan). Scientists, considering this event, came to the conclusion that the wolf and deer were the totems of the ancient Mongols, so it was forbidden to hunt them.

Burkhan

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

In the Turkic and Mongolian languages, Burkhan is translated as "Khan (title)", "buddha", "buddha-khan", "god".

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

Can be used in the meanings:

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

Burkhan (Burkan) is 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 the Mongolian tradition, a sculptural image of a Buddha, bodhisattva or other character of Buddhism.

Burkhan - this word was used by the Buddhist Uigurs to call Buddhas, and the Manicheans - the heads of the Manichaean church.

Burkhan-Khaldun is a sacred mountain in the mythological representations of the Mongolian peoples. Toponym Burkhanie

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 Cape Shamanka Rock on Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal).

Goa Maral

Goa-Maral (Kho-Maral, Hoai-Maral, Koai-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 elder wife of Borte-Chino and the mother of Bata -Chagana According to the legends cited in the "Secret History of the Mongols" and "The Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid ad-Din, Goa-Maral crossed the Tengis Sea with her husband and settled on Mount Burkhan-Khaldun near the banks of the Onon River. According to the calculations of Rashid ad- Dina, this happened around the middle of the 8th century.

Historical monuments contain lines stating that Genghis Khan, while hunting in the Khangai mountains, ordered: “Borte Chino and Goa Maral will be rounded up. Don't go to them." Borte-Chino and Goa-Maral, the distant ancestors of the Mongols, were also their ongons (the spirits of the ancestors of the clan). Scientists, considering this event, came to the conclusion that the wolf and deer were the 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 “Lady Maral from the Khova clan”; who remained pregnant after the death of her husband, the leader of a tribe who lived near Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. She becomes the wife of Borte-Chino, who, in turn, by marrying her, takes the position of leader.

Dobun-Mergen

Dobun-Mergen, Dobun-Mergan (Mong. Dobu mergen, Mong. mergen - “sharp”, “skillful”; c. 945 -?) - the ancestor of Genghis Khan 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 Hori-tumats. Due to wrangling in the Tumat lands, the father of Alan-goa decided to separate into a separate clan (Mong. obok) Khorilar and, together with his nomads, moved to the lands near Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. Dobun-Mergan, together with his elder brother Duva-Sohor, noticed the migrating people (including Alan-goa), and on the advice of the latter he 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-Salzhi 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 the yurt, some researchers (P. Rachnevsky, E. I. Kychanov) suggest that the real father of these children could be Maalikh-Bayaudaets, a servant in home of Alangoa. Belgunotai, Bugunotai, Bugu-Khadagi and Buhutu-Salzhchi later founded the Belgunot, Bugunot, Khatagin and Saldzhiut clans, respectively; Bodonchar, on the other hand, laid the foundation for the Borjigin family, from where Genghis Khan originated.

Their chorig

Ikh Khorig or the Great Ban is a 240 km² area in the Khentii Aimag of Mongolia, which is difficult to access due to mountains covered with dense forests, and is the supposed site of the grave of Genghis Khan. It was considered sacred place which was forbidden to visit. Staying there was allowed only for the burial of the descendants of Genghis Khan. In the late 1980s, it became open to archaeologists.

Kingiyat

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

Tomb of Genghis Khan

The location of the tomb of Genghis Khan (died in 1227) has been the subject of much research and conjecture up to the present.

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mongolia

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

bitches

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

Sukans

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

Uriankhians

Uryanhai, Uryankhans (Mong. Uriankhai) - one of the most ancient tribes that were part of the Darlekin group of Mongols. The descendants of this ancient family are currently known among many Mongolian peoples.

Khabturkhasy

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

Khaldun

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

Taner, Khaldun

Ibn Khaldun

Khan-Khentei Nature Reserve

Khan-Khentei Reserve or Khan-Khentei Nature Reserve - strictly protected natural area with an area of ​​12,270 sq. km. The reserve was organized thanks to the decision of the government of Mongolia in 1992 in Khentei aimag. On the territory of the Khan-Khentei Reserve are the upper reaches of the river. Onon. Before getting the status national park in 1993, the Gorkhi-Terelj protected area was part of the reserve, the reserve borders on it in the south. Onon-Baldzhinsky National Park was also a branch of the Khan-Khentei Reserve and gained independence in 2007. On the territory of the reserve there is hot spring"Khalun-Usny-Arshan".

"The place of our last dwelling should be here!

The history 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 the 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 Genghis Khan's burial has remained unsolved

This article has a long background. Thirty-one years ago, the author passed his first session at the Faculty of Humanities of 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. The 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 a chance to Mongolia and Japan, disappeared without a trace, and the article returned from the Ural Pathfinder magazine. 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 disclosed ...

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

So, one legend says that Genghis Khan was buried sitting on a golden throne in a deep tomb, which was built 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 the burial, a twenty-thousand herd of horses was driven over the grave of Genghis Khan, after which it was no longer possible to find its traces. But first, a small camel was slaughtered at this place in the presence of its mother. When the next year it was time 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 camel, who immediately went to the place where her cub was killed a year ago, and began to roar. After the feast, the story of 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 at the bottom of the river. For its construction, the river was temporarily diverted to the side, and then again launched along the old channel, forever hiding a rich tomb under the waves.

According to European travelers who visited Mongolia in the 13th century. - Plano Carpini, Guillaume de Rubruk, Marco Polo - the burial of the dead noble Mongols was done secretly and the place of the grave was not marked on the surface. Carpini wrote that when arranging a grave, “grass with roots is removed in the field and a large pit is made, and from the side of this pit they make a pit underground (linen or catacomb. - Approx. Aut.) ... The dead are placed in a pit, which is made on the side, together with things, then they bury the pit, which is located in front of his pit, and put grass (turf. - Approx. Aut.) on top, as it was before ... ”(Journey to Eastern countries..., 1957, p. 32-33). Together with the deceased, his horses, tables with food and drinks, as well as “a lot of gold and silver” were buried, 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, pp. 33, 102).

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

Historians are looking for, archaeologists are looking for ...

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. sh. and 9°3" to the west of the Beijing meridian" (1937, vol. 1). Khentei Khan is located under these coordinates, where the rivers Onon, Kerulen, Tola, etc. originate.

In 1925, Academician V. Ya. Vladimirtsov saw in Urga (modern Ulaanbaatar) a Mongolian map, on which a mountain was marked east of Lesser Khentei with a promising name “ great land' or 'Great place'. But none of the locals have heard of a mountain with such a name - "old geographical names various kinds”, known from ancient chronicles, have not been preserved, with the exception of the names big rivers Tola, Onon and Kerulen.

Professor M. I. Rizhsky, discussing the legends according to which the tomb of Genghis Khan is located in Transbaikalia, came to the conclusion that “although the exact place of his burial is not known, there is still no doubt that it must be located somewhere at the source rivers Onon and Kerulen, i.e., 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 sought in the mountains of Khentei 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, pp. 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 Mongolian-American archaeological expedition "Genghis Khan" led by Professor D. Woods in Khentei aimag near the Russian-Mongolian border (338 km northeast of Ulaanbaatar) discovered a burial ground. Among local residents this burial ground of four dozen graves, surrounded by a high wall, is also known as the "Chinggis Castle". Fifty kilometers away, another grave was found, 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; Utro.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 has been excavating an ancient mausoleum in the Avragi region (250 km from the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar), also announced in 2004 that they would soon find the legendary grave. Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of the building and the altars on which horses were burned. Judging by the scope of the sacrifices, the mausoleum was dedicated to a noble person. Chinese incense burners with images of dragons were also found here. The Persian chronicles mention that not far from the grave of Genghis Khan, censers of exactly this shape are constantly burning. According to the members of the expedition, now, in order to find the grave, it is necessary to dig up the 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 Genghis Khan can be found in the medieval written sources "Altan Depter" ("Golden Book") and in "Yuan chao bi shi" ("Secret History of the Mongols", which in the translation of S. A. Kozin is called "Secret legend. Chronicle of 1240 "(1941)). Although the Mongolian text of the official "Altan Depter" has not been preserved, it formed the basis of the aforementioned "Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid-ad-din (Gumilyov, 1977, p. 485). Only in the latter we can find information about the burial place of Genghis Khan (Rashid-ad-din, 1952, pp. 158-159; 233-235).

According to Rashid-ad-din, the Great Khan died during the siege of the Tangut capital Zhongxing (in modern China) by the Mongol troops. Genghis Khan was seriously ill and considered his death inevitable. He bequeathed to his close associates that they not announce his death, but when the sovereign and the inhabitants of Tangut left the city at the appointed time, they were all immediately destroyed. Just on the eve of the death of Genghis Khan, the population of the capital of the Tangut state, exhausted by a long siege, agreed to surrender to the mercy of the winner. The military leaders carried out his order: so Genghis Khan, being dead, won his next - the 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 journey 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 Lord of the Mongols would not spread prematurely. And only three months later, after the long funeral ceremonies of Genghis Khan, along with "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, lonely tree standing in the steppe (considering that the grave was near a mountain, by “steppe” and “plain” Rashid ad-din obviously meant its gentle slopes) . Turning to his close associates, he said: "The place of our last dwelling should be here!" It is impossible to vouch for the exact transmission of these words. The source clearly states that this wish was not written down anywhere, but was fulfilled from the words of those who "then heard these words from him." In addition, Rashid ad-Din has another entry about the “reserved place”: “This area is suitable for my burial. Let her be celebrated!

Subsequently, the youngest son of Genghis Khan, Tului Khan, the sons of the latter (including Kublai Khan in 1294, i.e. 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 the "steppe" with a single tree, it turned into a dense forest. And it happened "in the same year" when Genghis Khan was buried. It is possible that Rashid ad-din cited in his book only another legend, 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 Carpini and Rubruk (Journey to Eastern Countries .., 1957, p. 32).

Considering that Genghis Khan was buried around the end of November 1227, the likelihood of a “forest” appearing in the same year is quite high. The forest in the “reserved place” was an additional protection for the “calm” of the buried Great Khan: the Mongols had a cult of both individual trees and entire groves, where one could not even enter (ibid., p. 201). For the same purpose, the forest uryankhats - "a thousand emir of the left wing of Good Luck" and his descendants - were instructed to guard this place.

“A story about the death of Genghis Khan, about the murder of the Tangut sovereign and the beating of the entire population of this city, about the return of the emirs with his coffin in secret, about being delivered to the hordes, about the announcement of this sad event and about mourning and burial” (Rashid-ad-din, 1952 , pp. 233-235):

“Genghis Khan considered his death from this disease inevitable. He bequeathed to his close associates: “You do not announce my death and do not sob and cry at all so that the enemy does not find out about it. When the sovereign and the inhabitants of Tangut leave the city at the appointed time, you will immediately destroy them all!”<…>Approximate, according to his order, hid his death until that people left the city. Then they killed everyone. Then, taking his coffin, they set off on their way back. On the way, they killed every living thing that they came across until they delivered the coffin to the hordes of Genghis Khan and his children. All the princes, wives and close associates who were nearby gathered and mourned the deceased.
Mongolia has big mountain, which is called Burkan-Kaldun. Many rivers flow from one side of this mountain. Along those rivers there are countless trees and a lot of forest. The Taichiut tribes live in those forests. Genghis Khan himself chose a place for his burial there and ordered: “Our burial place<…>will be here! The summer and winter camps of Genghis Khan were within the same limits, and he was born in the Bulun-buldak area, in the lower reaches of the Onon River, from there it will be a 6-day journey to Mount Burkan-Kaldun. One thousand of the Ukai-Karaju clan lives there and guards that land...
<…>In each of the four great hordes of Genghis Khan, the deceased was mourned for one day. When the news of his death reached far and near regions and localities (the Mongols had a courier service. Marco Polo wrote that every 4.8 km there were foot messengers. - Approx. Aut.), from all sides for several days spouses and princes arrived there and mourned the deceased. Since some tribes were very far away, after about three months they continued to arrive after each other and mourned the deceased: “We are all perishing, except for his nature! To him belongs the dominion, and to him we will return…”

The protection of the “reserved place” still existed at the beginning of the 14th 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 Genghis Khan are not identified at all. Even the old forest guards guarding that place do not find their way to it” ((Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 234).

Where is Burkhan-Khaldun located?

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

What region of Mongolia did the Mongols know at the beginning of the 14th 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 northeast - the right tributaries of the Selenga, from the southwest - Tola and right tributaries of the Orkhon. “A lot of forest grows along these rivers, where the Taijiut tribes live (the Borjigin clan, from which Genghis Khan came, was from this tribe. - Note. ed.). The 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 Eastern Countries.., 1957, p. 116, 229). Two years before the death of Genghis Khan, his headquarters was located in the same area, at the headwaters of the Tola River (Kychanov, 1973, pp. 124-125).

In contemporary notes to the "Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid ad-din, it is noted that, judging by geographical indications author, Burkhan-Khaldun, may be the modern Khentei mountain junction (Rashid-ad-din, 1952, p. 234). The latter is a large mountainous country. Nevertheless, Rashid-ad-din, speaking about the neighborhood of the Taijiut tribes and the nomad camps of Genghis Khan, indirectly points to the exact location of Burkhan-Khaldun - at the headwaters of Onon and Kerulen.

In addition, he reports that from the area Delyun-Boldok (Bulun-buldak) in the lower reaches of the river. Onon, where Genghis Khan was born (accidentally or not, but the birthplace of Temujin has retained its name to this day. - Approx. Aut.), It is a six-day journey to his burial place (ibid.). Rubruk writes that from the city of Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire, to the ancestral lands of Onankerul, there are ten days of travel (Journey to 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 southwest, and from Karakorum, first north along the Orkhon, then along Tola to the northeast), at the intersection of the end of the days of travel from specified places it is possible to determine the place where, within the limits of the former ancestral nomad camps of Genghis Khan, there is Mount Burkhan-Khaldun.

To localize the latter in the Khentei system, let us turn to the "Secret Tale" 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 united, and Genghis Khan was called Temujin from the Borjigin family.

One of the places of nomadism of Temujin at that time, "The Secret Legend" calls the tract Burgi-ergi, on the southern slope of Burkhan-Khaldun at the head of Kerulen. Here, a story took place that allows shedding light on the dimensions of Burkhan-Khaldun - its height and circumference. Once, during a roaming near Burgi-erga, “when the air only begins to turn yellow” (that is, at dusk. - Approx. Aut.), Temujin was attacked by the Taijiuts. Warned in time, Temujin and his brothers set off from the camp and climbed Burkhan even before dawn, that is, in a very short period of time. The pursuers “in the footsteps of Temujin went around Burkhan-Khaldun three times, but could not catch him. They rushed back and forth, 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 from the southern slopes of Burkhan-Khaldun, and on the northern slope - the Tula Black Forest. It is known that the Sangur River was also part of Temujin's roaming area (“Temujin arrived home on the Sangur River in three days and three nights”) (Kozin, 1941, p. 95).

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

“In the era of Genghis Khan, there was a certain commander of a thousand from the tribe of forest Uriankhats; one of the commanders of the left wing, his name is Good Luck. After the burial of Genghis Khan, his children with their thousand guard their forbidden, reserved place with the great remains of Genghis Khan in the area called Burkan-Kaldun, they do not join the army, and to this day they are approved and firmly assigned to the protection of these very remains. Of the children of Genghis Khan, the great bones of Tuluikhan, Mengukhan and the children of Kubilai Kaan and his family were also laid in the area mentioned.
They say that once Genghis Khan came to this area; in that plain grew a very green tree. Genghis Khan spent an hour under
him, and he had some inner consolation. In this state, he said to the military leaders and close associates: "The place of our last home should be here!" After he died, because they once heard these words from him, in that area, under that tree, they made a great reserved place for him. They say that in the same year this plain, due to the large number of grown trees, turned into a huge forest, so that it is absolutely impossible to identify that first tree, and not a single living creature knows which one it is.

As for the location of the sources of Onon, which also belonged to the nomad camp of Genghis Khan (Onankerul), in the Secret History it is associated with the area of ​​Botogan-Boorchzhi. This gives the right to assume that the latter is the name of some mountainous area. It is known that both Onon, and Kerulen, and Tola originate in Khentei not far from each other. This means that Burkhan-Khaldun and Botogan-Boorzhi are the ancient names of certain 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.

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

Since the northern slopes of Burkhan-Khaldun in the XIII century. were covered with forest - the Tula black forest, then the southern ones should have been 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 most of all fits the description of the “Reserved Place”.

Thus, the "last dwelling" of Genghis Khan is apparently located 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 an easily accessible mountain area of ​​Khenteiskaya, small in circumference and height. mountain country with clear boundaries. It is difficult to say whether the legendary forest that grew overnight has been preserved on its southern slopes. And researchers in further searches need to remember: the “Reserved Place” is a family cemetery, and the grave of the Great Khan is far from the only one there.

Literature

Gumilyov L. N. "Secret" and "explicit" history of the Mongols of the XII-XIII centuries. Tatar-Mongols in Asia and Europe. M.: 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.

Marco Polo book. M., 1955.

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

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

Larichev V.E. Asia distant and mysterious (Essays on travels. For antiquities in Mongolia). Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1968.

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

Rashid ad-din. Collection of annals. M., L., 1952. T. 1, book. 12.

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

One of the main objectives of our expedition was to study the traditional cult practices associated with the veneration of Mount Burkhan-Khaldun. In the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, this sacred peak is well known. Her veneration is associated with the image of Genghis Khan, who is traditionally perceived not just 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 area of ​​Burkhan-Khaldun is reported in the “Collection of Chronicles” by Rashid ad-din, the official historiographer of the Mongol Empire. He tells that the son of Genghis Khan Tului and his other descendants were buried in the same area: khans Menke, Kublai, Arig-buga and other Genghisides. Rashid-ad-din reports on the existence of special sanctuaries on Burkhan-Khaldun, in which images of sacred ancestors were installed, “incense and incense are constantly burned there.”

But not only Genghisides were susceptible to the sacred power of Burkhan-Khaldun. This mountain acts as a geographical and sacred center of the entire medieval (and possibly even more ancient) history of the Mongolian people. According to the “Secret Legend”, written down in 1240, here, on Burkhan-Khaldun, at the head of the Onon River, the first ancestors of the Mongols, Borte-Chino (Gray Wolf) and Goa-Maral (Kaurai fallow deer), roamed. 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 Mongolian people. And this couple itself unites in the sacred tract of Shinchi-bayan-uryankhai, “on which the deities, the rulers of Burkhan-Khaldun, were placed” - so that the spirits of Burkhan-Khaldun blessed this union. Most likely, the “spiritual vision” of the older brother Dobun-Mergan, who sees the distant (and, in fact, the future, - giving impetus to the union of this pair) precisely from the top of Burkhan-Khaldun (The Secret Legend § 4- 6).

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

In the Mongolian tradition, which represented the mountain as the abode of the spirit-owner of the area, in many cases the ruler of the surrounding territory became it after his death. It was traditional to bury these rulers - noyons - on the tops of the mountains. And the spirit of the founder of the empire, Genghis Khan, was conceived in medieval Mongolia as the patron of the whole country. Legends are known 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 sacral significance of Mount Burkhan-Khaldun was also associated with the veneration of the sources of the rivers - after all, it is from its slopes that Onon and Kerulen originate, the main arteries of the sacred Motherland of the Mongolian people. 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 common Mongolian “burkhan” (spirit, god) and the ancient Mongolian “khaldun”, in the dictionary of S.A. Kozin “peak, rock”.

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

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

On modern Mongolian maps and in historical and cultural writings under the name “Burkhan-Khaldun” there is a peak 2361 m high, located in the central part of Khentei, 12 km to the west - south-west of the peak of Khentei-Khan (Lord of Khentei). Perhaps her choice is not entirely connected with the ancient tradition and is explained by the relative accessibility of this mountain. With 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 make a hike on foot. To the foot of the Khentei-Khan itself, no passage is possible, and the assault on its steep slopes is an even simpler task than hiking route upon reaching this mountain - through the deaf taiga, indented by the tributaries of the Onon and Kerulen, kurumniks and screes, without any hiking trails. To our great regret, we simply did not have enough time for this enterprise and we limited ourselves to exploring the southwestern peak, revered as Burkhan-Khaldun in the modern Mongolian tradition at least from the 17th century.

The first cult monument associated with the veneration of this peak is located southeast of the Mongonmorit sum (Silver Horse). This is a ritual gate in front of the sacred area of ​​Ikh-Khorig (Forbidden Place). In their central part there are three wooden poles 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 Uud-Mod (Tree Door). The image of the “door” is associated with the approach to Burkhan-Khaldun. A revered tree in this area 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 Khereksur - a cult complex of the era of the early nomads, which is a ring stone fence with a central embankment, on which a low obo was erected around the larch trunks. The lower branches of the larch are hung with blue hadags.

The only way to Burkhan-Khaldun leads from the Kerulen valley to the Bogd river valley through the Bosgot Tengeriin Davaa pass (Threshold of Heaven pass). This road is very difficult, little traveled, 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 mountains of Khentei are covered with dense cedar-larch taiga. The rivers are shallow, very clean and fast, the water in them rapidly rushing over the stone bed. There are no stationary settlements in the mountains of Khentei, herds do not graze. Occasionally you can meet fishermen and hunters. According to their testimonies, 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 very difficult for a car, the slightest mistake can lead to irreparable consequences. There is no heavy equipment capable of pulling a car closer than Mongonmorit sum - and this is more than 70 km of a very bad road; but even a powerful tractor could not have dragged the out-of-service machine over the steep, and at the same time marshy slopes of the pass, cut by ruts, washed out and spread to incredible sizes. On the southern slope there is a blue body from an abandoned minibus. From the pass point, a beautiful view of the Khentei-Khan mountain massif, the Kerulen valley and the Bogd (Sacred) river flowing into it opens up. There is a large obo - a stone mound of two meters in diameter, on which a wooden hut has been erected with an entrance facing south. The branches of the hut are decorated with blue khadags, and on the stones are numerous offerings - money, empty bottles of vodka, packs of tea and tobacco. Then the road crosses the Kerulen ford and moves north along the Bogd river valley, repeatedly crossing the river itself. The road is practically untravelled, it is necessary 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 Hoakhchin escaped from their pursuers after the attack of the Merkits on the camp of the Temujin family. This assumption is consistent with the topographic descriptions of the sources. In this case, Temujin's nomad camp itself in the Burgi-ergi area should have been located directly at the mouth of the Bogd (Tengelik) river, where the slightly expanded Kerulen valley allows grazing a small amount of cattle.

Climbing along the right bank of the Kerulen, we explored the area at the mouth of the Baudlag River, between the Baganuur and Mongonmorit sums, which in modern Mongolian culture is considered to be the Burgi-ergi area of ​​the “Secret Legend”. According to Batsaikhan, 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 place of worship. 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 domestic 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 linked its veneration with the image of Genghis Khan's camp. The nomad camp itself, judging by the topographical indications of the Secret History, should have been located much to the north, probably just at the confluence of the Bogd with the Kerulen.

The view of Burkhan-Khaldun opens from the Bogd valley to the north of its mouth. 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.

Passing for a car, the road ends at the southeastern foot of the mountain, on a low ledge that rises above 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 pilgrimages. In the southern part of the site, an unusual cult monument was erected - a two-meter-high wooden structure in the shape of an arrow with plumage stuck into a small stone wallpaper. "Plumage" painted in green color, and the “arrow” itself is twined with blue hadags. In the northern part of the site, away from the fires, there is a large obo with a wooden “hut”. A relatively trodden path to the top of the mountain leaves to the northwest from it.

Climbing to the top of Burkhan-Khaldun from the south-eastern 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 clearing with a large cult complex. The central part of the complex is a very high tent-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 (koumiss), and the second, on a tripod - for cooking meat.

From here, the trail heads northwest again. long time there is a very difficult climb along the talus of kurumniks, then the high-mountain taiga belt begins. These are the most pleasant and Beautiful places at Burkhan-Khaldun. There is a lot of forest, 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 torn directly from the ground, slightly bending the top. The protruding stones are covered with mosses of various colors and shades, whole fields of lingonberries and blueberries are spread between them, there are russula. Even higher, the path rises to the upper plateau, covered with kurums and overgrown between them with rare grass. The peak of Burkhan-Khaldun rises above the plateau - an almost regular truncated cone, made of large stone fragments. opens from the plateau great view to the valley of the river Bogd, actively meandering between the mountains, alpine lake Khentei-Nuur and the surrounding peaks of the Khentei massif. No traces of human activity are visible from this mountain, one of the highest in northeastern Mongolia. Here you really feel alone with the great mountains and the Eternal Sky.

The path rises to the summit from the south, goes around it from the west side and then descends to the south from the east: thus, the pilgrim makes a round of the peak in a clockwise direction. The entire upper platform is covered with hundreds of low stone obo pyramids, which are built by every pilgrim who has climbed here. In the southern part of the site there is a large cult complex dedicated to Genghis Khan. This is a huge quadrangular stone wallpaper, in the center of which there is a high wooden pillar with a copy of the bunchug (standard) of Genghis Khan hoisted on it - a metal cylinder with a pommel, decorated with images of predatory animals, to which a mane of horse hair is attached. To the south of it there is a stone pole in the form of a spear with a tip. At all four corners of the obo rise wooden poles with metal knobs, and multi-colored khadags are hung between them. On the mound of this obo, dedicated to Genghis Khan, many wooden swords and sabers lie as offerings.

Nowadays, the cult practice at Burkhan-Khaldun is included in the system of Buddhist ritual activities, however, it has its roots in the ancient Tengrian tradition. Honoring Burkhan-Khaldun, the Mongols fulfill the covenant of Temujin, who proclaimed after his salvation on this mountain: “Let us worship (crawling) every morning and offer prayers every day. Let the descendants of my descendants understand!” And having said this, he turned to face the sun, hung his belt like a rosary around his neck, hung his hat on his chest by the braid, and, unbuttoning (exposing) his chest, bowed nine times to the sun (in the direction of the sun) and made (gave) sprinkling and prayer ” (The Secret History, § 103).

Book publication:

Petrov F.N. Arkaim - Altai - Mongolia: essays on expeditionary studies of traditional beliefs. Chelyabinsk: Publishing House Crocus, 2006.

A story from the series Travel notes Mongolian expedition"

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