Genghis Khan Tomb Mystery: Why Can’t the Greatest Conqueror’s Grave Be Found?

Genghis Khan was a popular Mongolian conqueror and a fierce leader. However, his grave hasn't been found 800 years after he was laid to rest, and there are reportedly many reasons why.

Genghis Khan Tomb Hidden in Mongolia's Forbidden Zone?

Genghis Khan's tomb has remained a target for hunters who want to expose it. It is understandable, given that he was the universal ruler of an empire. That's why he is called "Genghis Khan" in Mongolia. His empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean into Eastern Europe and some parts of China, Russia, and the Middle East.

The Genghis Khan Mausoleum is seen as you approach Ordos City from the north in China's Inner Mongolia province. The enormous building, restored in the 1950s in the original Mongol architecture, contains authentic artifacts and serves as a significant sanctuary for shamanic rituals honoring the legendary Mongol ruler. However, because it is empty, the Khan's tomb is referred to as a "cenotaph," a monument to someone buried somewhere.

His manner or cause of death is still unknown. But soon after Genghis Khan passed away and was buried, an area of around 93 square miles (240 km2) around Burkhan Khaldun was declared a "Great Taboo" (in Mongolian: Ikh Khorig). It sparked rumors that his tomb was hidden in a forbidden zone. Everyone was reportedly severely prohibited from entering the region, which is difficult to access due to natural characteristics, under pain of death, except Genghis Khan's family if they had another relative to bury.

The Great Taboo itself might be a cunning ploy to draw focus away from the Khan's actual resting place. If so, it has a very lengthy lifespan. A guardian tribe known as the Darkhad enforced the prohibition in return for exemption from taxes and military service. Until 1924, when the Mongolian People's Republic was created, their descendants kept the ban in place for nearly seven centuries.

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Genghis Khan Doesn't Want To Be Found?

Another explanation why Genghis Khan's tom has never been found is because locals aren't cooperative. A young Mongolian who didn't appear to be superstitious and with a degree in international relations from Buryat State University in Ulan-Ude, Russia, said it's about respect. Genghis Khan reportedly wished to remain undiscovered.

Those who reportedly knew where Khan was buried made all the efforts to keep it a secret. Thus, opening it now would violate the conqueror's last wishes.

Upon his death, Genghis Khan reported asked to be buried in secret. A grieving army carried his body home, killing anyone it met to hide the route. When the emperor was finally laid to rest, his soldiers rode 1,000 horses over his grave to destroy any remaining trace.

The location of Genghis Khan's tomb is a mystery that scholars try to solve using historical accounts. However, the images they paint are frequently illogical.

A valley or plain, such as the one at the Xiongnu cemetery, is indicated by the 1,000 rushing horses. However, his commitment ties a mountain to it. Further complicating matters, Mongolian ethnologist S. Badamkhatan discovered five historically Burkhan Khaldun mountains that are off-limits to scholars.