In the center of the largest continent of our planet, the handsome Baikal is located in the form of a giant crescent 620 kilometers long. The lake is located in a kind of hollow, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, and the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle, in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers.
The width of Lake Baikal in some places reaches almost 80 kilometers, the length of the coastline is 2,100 km. The bottom of the lake is 1167 meters below the level of the World Ocean, and the mirror of its waters is 455 meters higher. Baikal's water surface is almost 32,000 square kilometers, which is approximately equal to the area of countries such as Belgium or the Netherlands.
From time immemorial, Baikal has been the main pride and attraction of the peoples who inhabited its surroundings in different time periods. Academician AP Okladnikov, for example, wrote: “The majestic Lake Baikal, the inland sea of the Asian continent, is a precious pearl of our planet. It occupies a special place not only in nature, but also in the historical past of the peoples of Asia. Baikal, figuratively speaking, can be called the cradle of many tribes and peoples of antiquity …"
Indeed, one of the first sources that mentions Baikal are Chinese geographical maps drawn on silk and dated 194 BC. Further, a settlement of the Mongols is associated with Baikal, which eventually turned into the Great Mongol Empire, which held half the Asian continent in fear. The founder and first great khan of the Mongol empire Temujin (Genghis Khan) paid great attention to the lake, calling it "an inverted sky", i.e. the habitat of the souls of departed ancestors. Also, Temujin took a nickname associated with the name of the lake and glorified him in world history - Genghis Khan. Thus, he arrogated to himself the right to be the ruler of not only the living, but also the souls of the dead, which inspired the nomads with indescribable terror.
Over the course of several centuries, the history of the Mongol Empire has been closely associated with Lake Baikal. If you look at the coat of arms of this ancient state, you can see a horse, a faithful companion of all nomads, flying over the wave of Lake Baikal. The image of the Mongolian battle shield from a certain viewing angle again evokes an association with the image of the "great sea".
Also the name "Baigal" is found in the Mongolian chronicle of the first half of the 17th century. "Shara tuji" ("Yellow story"), which speaks of the next victory of Genghis Khan: "Forty-seven years old, he gave a battle on the river called" Baigal "to the ten-ton army of the Sartagchin Ambagai Khan, defeated him and conquered him." The lake is called a river here, but it should be borne in mind that the Mongols also called the lake "Baigal-Muren" (Baikal-river).
The name "Baigal" also appears in the chronicle of the 18th century. "Altan tobchi" when describing the presentation of gifts to the great khan by the leaders of the forest peoples. The chronicle says: "Buriyat Oro Shigushi" presented to the most august, majestic lord of a falcon caught near the great Baikal.
Also in "Altan Tobchi" there is a mention of the fact that Baikal is the last refuge of Genghis Khan and his followers. This chronicle is one of the sources of information about the burials of the Mongol emperors. But until now, not a single archaeologist, oceanologist or just a traveler has managed to find this tomb.
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In 2002, after a detailed study of the Mongolian chronicle, one of the scientists put forward a theory about the burial place of Genghis Khan on the shores of North Baikal, near the foothills of Mount Kiron. According to the researcher, the boulders in this place resemble a trident, which is a beacon for ships heading north.
By the way, Baikal in its shape is somewhat reminiscent of a curved Mongolian saber with a handle in the north. This path, from south to north along the lakeside, is a beautiful and unique road. In summer, it is the purest water, allowing you to see at a depth of several meters. In winter, this is a road, as if made of transparent rock crystal, possibly leading to the kingdom of the dead, to the tomb of Genghis Khan. Whether the assumptions of scientists are true, and whether Genghis Khan is really buried in this place, only the great Baikal knows, keeping its proud silence for many centuries.
However, neither in the "Secret Legend of the Mongols" or in other historical literature there are indications of the exact location of Genghis Khan's grave. And this is no coincidence. In Mongolia, the name of Genghis Khan is considered sacred, and a great ban is imposed on the search for his burial - "Them Horit" The ancestors of the modern Mongols destroyed all traces of the burial so that no one would ever disturb the eternal sleep of the Conqueror of the World, and he could find the long-awaited peace after his hard life.
Author: Olesya Budanova