Sacred Mountains, Ancestors, and Power: Origin and Development of the Veneration of Burkhan Khaldun Mountain in the Mongol Empire

Abstract

The Eurasian steppe is certainly central for the study of the nomadic and pastoral societies, but mountains, like rivers, equally have an important role in the local geography and cosmology, since early times. In Mongolia, the Burkhan Khaldun Mountain is presently protected and worshipped, especially in relation to the figure of Chinggis Khaan. In the Secret History of the Mongols, in fact, Temüjin escaped being pursued by his enemies by sheltering on that elevation, which he then chose as his personal mountain deity. Furthermore, according to historical sources and Mongolian folk tradition, his burial site was secretly located on that mountain, which thus became a fundamental landmark in Mongolia’s mythical landscape. The Burkhan Kaldun additionally integrates significant Central Eurasian elements alluding to the divine nature of mountains and their symbolical link to royal power and ancestors. In this paper, I will explore the relevance of mountains in the cosmology and sacred geographies of the Mongols, as well as their possible interconnections with coeval and earlier beliefs of the people of the steppes.