A multi-tiered underground city with labyrinths, mysterious drawings, monastic cells and even a whole lake was discovered near Saransk Mountain at a depth of several tens of meters. Experts are still at a loss as to who and when it was built. According to one of the versions, in the depths of the Saransk mountain is the cave city of the mysterious people Chud, which, according to legend, either appeared from under the ground, then disappeared into the underground again, fleeing from enemies
The passages of the underground labyrinth branch out: they go up, down, then sideways. Mysterious drawings are visible on the walls of the catacombs, eternal darkness reigns in the galleries, only the beam of a lantern or the fire of a candle snatches out the passage in the darkness, leading everything further into the depths of the Saransk mountain. How old these caves are, who were their ancient architects - and now it is a mystery.
Alexander Belybkin, Doctor of Historical Sciences: “How many tiers there are is still unknown, because there are still blocked passages. There are still very interesting and unexpected discoveries ahead, this is unambiguous. I think that mummies will meet here, because the soil is the same and the atmosphere is like that."
So far, only 3 tiers of the catacomb settlement have been explored. 670 meters of passages inside the labyrinth were explored. There have not been any large prospecting works here yet, but what was found at the first stage of excavations is striking.
Alexander Belybkin, Doctor of Historical Sciences: "The earliest objects that we found here are the tip of a Scythian arrow, which dates back to around the 2nd-3rd century AD."
Scientists have only crumbs of information about the mysterious city underground. It is known that since the 17th century monks have settled in the catacombs. The entrance to them was blown up in 1930. The caves were rediscovered at the end of the last century. And now they find here wearable crosses, icon lamps, they managed to find an icon carved into the wall.
Alexander Sokhryakov, director of the Narovchat Kreved Museum: “Some of the monks took the schema and went to live in caves. And to this day we find such things in caves, for example, an icon."
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In the light of a lantern, narrow manholes open in the galleries, at first glance more like stone bags. On close inspection, it becomes clear that the monks lived in these stone bags.
Monastic cells are located on each level of the underground labyrinth. One of them is at a depth of 40 meters. The schema-monks slept on the stone, there were icons.
Who owned the catacombs before the monks founded their deserts, scientists have no answer yet. According to one of the versions, in the depths of the Saransk mountain is the cave city of the mysterious people Chud, which, according to legend, either appeared from under the ground, then disappeared into the underground again, fleeing from enemies. Vladimir Polyakov has been studying the mysteries of the cave settlement for more than half a century. The local historian from Narovchat is sure that the catacombs are the capital of the ancient Burtas principality - the legendary city of Savan.
Vladimir Polyakov, local historian of the city of Narovchat: “Somewhere on the fourth tier there is an underground lake. The lake is surrounded by stone benches, and jade figurines were found along the shores of this lake.
Scientists suggest that not only an underground lake, but also the fifth and even the sixth level of the catacomb city is hidden behind the blocked passages. They say that on the deepest of the explored, the third tier, someone's deaf voices are sometimes heard from under the feet. So the secrets of the Saransk underground are still waiting to be discovered.