We often think that unique finds and amazing discoveries are being made somewhere far away, in exotic countries. In fact, very close to us are unsolved mysteries that are waiting in the wings …
The Novgorod land keeps many ancient monuments. Every year, valuable evidence of a bygone era is found here, things or documents that tell a lot about the history of the country - things, jewelry, old coins and much, much more. But all this pales before the search for what is truly of enormous importance.
The grave of Prince Rurik is what haunts many archaeologists and enthusiasts. Many versions and legends are being put forward, where the founder of the dynasty of Russian tsars may be buried. Someone says that he rests in Staraya Ladoga, someone in the area of the Korela fortress in Priozersk.
The most beautiful is the legend that the prince was buried at the bottom of Ladoga in a golden sarcophagus … But recently the version that the true grave of Rurik is located on the famous Peredolsky churchyard, in a unique mound called Shum-Gora, has been heard more and more often. Peredolsky pogost has long been known to archaeologists.
In the area located between the villages of Podgorye and Zapolye in the Batetsky District of the Novgorod Region, on the banks of the Luga River, residents of neighboring villages have constantly come across and continue to come across interesting finds. Archaeologists from the century before last were engaged in excavations here, collecting local legends. According to researchers, an ancient city was located here a thousand years ago - one of the most important craft and trade centers of the Novgorod region.
According to researchers, this settlement was destroyed in a massive fire. Another unique feature of the Peredolsky Pogost is that there are seven burial mounds on it, which are clearly the creation of human hands. On the territory of the graveyard, many stones are also found that bear traces of human influence. In the vicinity of Podgorye, several dozen cult stones were discovered - depicting people and gods … It turned out that large sacrificial stones have a direct connection with the mounds. Usually such stones are located near the sanctuaries where the most noble people are buried …
Mystical mountain
One of the most famous burial mounds is the famous Shum Mountain. This is a unique structure, the largest medieval barrow in Europe (it is even larger than the famous Swedish royal barrows, where according to legend the gods Thor and Odin are buried). The height of Shum Mountain is 14.6 meters, and its diameter is 70 meters. By its structure, the mound resembles a ziggurat - a tiered pyramid.
The mound is called Shum-mountain because, according to local legends, in autumn and rainy days, weeping sounds are heard from the top of the mound. According to other legends, standing on the mountain, you can hear how the service is being held in a church located a few kilometers away. And some legends generally say that there is a church right in the mountain, which was buried together with people and since then there has been an eternal service …
In general, these places abound in folklore and legends. Local residents have a mystical attitude to the hill, they argue that it is forbidden to make noise, shout, jump and generally disturb the shadows of their ancestors.
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They say that alcoholics and parasites did not take root in the surrounding villages. Someone crashed on a tractor, someone committed suicide, someone disappeared from the house. And one man, who cut down a tree at the top, immediately fell ill and died in agony. This respectful attitude to Shum-mountain goes back to the most ancient times - the hill was a cult place.
Memories of how All Saints' Day, which falls on the next Sunday after Trinity, was solemnly celebrated here. On this day, a procession of the cross to Shum-Gora took place … According to the stories of old-timers, before the war, the priests also conducted services on the top of the hill, read prayers.
Battle in late autumn
According to the same local legends, it is in this mountain that Rurik's grave is located. Here is how the legends spoke about it: “There was a battle in late autumn, on the northern bank of the Luga. Rurik was seriously wounded and died. It was cold, the ground was frozen, his body was covered with stones. 12 people remained with him. In the spring, Rurik's body was transferred across the river to the southern bank of the Luga, where he was buried in a large mound, in a golden coffin and with it 40 barrels of silver coins. Buried with a horse and a gilded saddle. Together with him, these 12 people were buried with their heads in a circle."
Scientists believe that Shum Mountain is a complex ritual structure. If there really is a burial of an influential person in it, then he should lie in the center of the mound, and in different directions from it, like rays emanating from the sun, his warriors. The burial, most likely, is carefully lined with huge stones, in the crown of which there are ritual stones arranged in a strictly defined sequence.
By the way, according to some researchers, the Noise Mountain sounds from the fact that in a strong wind, air flows pass through a stone labyrinth and create a noise effect. It is interesting that in these parts there is a legend similar to the legend about the grave of Tamerlane (Timur) in Uzbekistan - you cannot open this mound, otherwise there will be trouble. They say that in 1941 an official expedition was sent to Shum-Gora, which began work on the autopsy, but then the war broke out …
Confirming legends
Recently, the name Shum-Gora has been closely associated with the names of the brothers Sergei and Mikhail Aleksashin. Several years ago, they bought a house in these places and gradually became seriously carried away by the mystery of Rurik's grave. In addition to searching for the burial of the prince, the Aleksashins are constantly looking for unique evidence of the past in these places and find them in abundance. So, they found Arab coins-dirhams of the 9th century, signet rings, brooches, battle axes, and much more. All finds were taken into account by representatives of official science.
In addition, work was carried out on Shum-mountain itself. In 2002, the mound was studied using a GPR. It was discovered that there is a stone structure in the center of the base of the hill. And in 2003 and 2004, seismographic studies were carried out, which confirmed the presence of several objects inside.
In May 2003, a stele was discovered on the Aleksashiny hill, during the excavations of which it turned out that its base rests on another boulder. This stele has a mysterious inscription. Mikhail and Alexander believe that these are Rurik's gravestones, and the inscription clearly indicates this. Official science initially put forward a version that in fact these stones were laid at the beginning of the 20th century and the inscription actually means the year when this happened - 1915.
But this version was refuted - local legends, documented back in the 19th century, told about these stones. The controversy does not stop, and the research of Shum-mountain continues. By the way, if a burial is really found in Shum-mountain, then scientists promise to conduct a molecular examination of the remains of distant ancestors and compare with the genetic code of the Rurikovich, whose remains rest in the Moscow Kremlin. But when and who will manage to find out the secret of the Shum-mountain is still unknown …