What was Mongolia like before Genghis Khan? Revealing secrets from the mysterious tomb

Mongolia I belong to the 12th century ‘Aristocracy’ The grave‘The world’s ‘greatest conqueror’ has been discovered. Genghis Khan sheds new light on a poorly understood period before the rise of

The tomb, now called the ‘Khar Noor Tomb’, was built in the years between the fall of the Khitan Empire around 1125 and the establishment of the Mongol Empire in 1206.

Historical records of this period are mostly based on anecdotes written decades or centuries after Genghis Khan’s founding of the Mongol Empire. The Khitan Empire, established in the 10th century and at its height covering much of eastern and central Mongolia, began to decline in the early 12th century. After that, the battle continued for a short time. Later, the Mongols under the leadership of Genghis Khan took over in 1206.

But little information is available about the events that took place between 1125 and 1206. “Any new information about the identity of the people of this area, their cultural, commercial and political relations during this period is very important,” say the scientists studying the tomb site.

Part of this ongoing research was recently published in the journal Archaeological Research in Asia. The research is analyzing the contiguous constructions, including long walls, between the 11th and 13th centuries in Mongolia, northern China and Russia, spanning an area of ​​about 4,000 km. It is not yet clear when these constructions were made, by whom and what was their purpose.

Gold jewelry from a grave discovered in northeastern Mongolia that was important in determining the social position of the buried woman (ScienceDirect.com)

At a site in Mongolia, called Khar Nur, researchers discovered the tomb of a high-class woman inside the walls of a Khaitan-era fortress. This ‘noble tomb’ was built between 1158 and 1214 when the castle was already in use. The scientists say that ‘the conditions at the time of the tomb’s construction raise important questions about burial customs and the practice of remembering the dead during the period of imperial decline and change.’

The researchers suspect that the decision to bury the woman inside the fort may have been a ‘meaningful symbol of identity, remembrance and power in a time of transition’.

The female’s skeletal remains show signs of joint disease and spinal disease, indicating her active life. It seems that almost all of his teeth fell out before he died.

The woman was buried in a yellow silk dress and the silk cloth was placed under her head. The tomb also contained the remains of a silk headgear, gold ornaments, various pearls, fragments of bronze vessels, a silver bowl, a gold bracelet, and a sheathed iron knife.

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“The burial of this elderly woman indicates that she may have belonged to a noble family that possessed political influence and wealth was transferred to her community,” the scientists say.

Scientists also speculate that the burials may represent a ‘deliberate expression of power’ and ownership of land by local communities during this period of fighting.

The findings of the research show that the people of this period in the Khar Noor region were engaged in ‘grassroots regional political struggle’.

Study co-author Gideon Shilach Lavi says, ‘The tomb at Khor Nur offers a unique glimpse into the complex social and political landscape of 12th-century Mongolia.

‘The tomb shows how local elites likely used symbolic links with past empires to legitimize their power and status. However, the elites were faced with a rapidly changing political environment.

Archaeologists also say that the nomads may have used the vacant Khaitan fort as a burial ground to stake their claim on the land. They hope that further analysis of the burial will provide more information about this important period of change in world history.