Karakorum is the capital city of the Mongolian Empire. Archaeologists have mapped the ancient metropolis and it is now’much bigger than previously thought’.
Founded by Genghis Khan’s son, Ögödei, in the 13th century CE, the scope of the city has been revealed thanks to experts from the University of Bonn in Germany.
They were able to map the road layouts, neighbourhoods and details of the ancient city without digging up the surrounding landscape thanks to advanced geophysics.
This work has provided historians with a deeper understanding of what happened to the capital of the largest contiguous empire that had fallen into ruin in the 15th century CE.
They discovered the remains of the gates and walls mentioned in the historical record, as well a city beyond the walls that extended for 1.8 miles along the roads.
The city covered an area of half-a-mile within its walls. It had palaces, areas for industrial and residential purposes, and older areas.
The team found that Karakorum’s greatest single feature was actually nothing. It left 40% of the wall area unoccupied.
The vehicle-drawn SQUID measuring system is at work in front the Buddhist monastery of Erdene Zuu. It was founded in 1586, and was probably built on top of the former Karakorum palace area.
Founded by Genghis Khan’s son, Ögödei, in the 13th century CE, the scope of the city has been revealed thanks to experts from the University of Bonn in Germany
The historians gained a deeper understanding of the fate of the capital city in the largest contiguous Empire, which was destroyed by the 15th Century CE.
Jan Bemmann was the study’s lead. He discovered that the Mongolian capital, first discovered in 1889, but not studied since, extended well beyond its walls.
Professor Bemmann stated that ‘We arrive at an in-depth re-evaluation [of this important city], which underlines its eminent position in Mongolian and Eurasian histories.
It was founded by Ögödei, son and successor of Chinggis, who is more commonly known as Genghis Khan, as a permanent home for the massive empire.
It was built up on the site of one of the hoarding empire’s camps in the 13th century CE, with most of its construction completed under the reign of Möngke Khan.
William of Rubruck, a Franciscan friar, was an envoy of King Louis IX of France. He visited the city in 13 century and described it as an “enclosed city with 4 gates”.
He wrote that it was thriving and home to Chinese artisans, Muslim merchants and captives from all over the empire.
For both Ögödei and Möngke, it was an important place, according to historians.
However, it had fallen into dereliction by the 15th century, just 200 years after it was founded, due to the Mongolian Empire fracturing into separate entities.
Although the city was preserved in history, it was not forgotten. However, the exact location of the city was not known until an 1889 expedition located it.
Prof. Bemmann stated that “Limited excavations at key spots of the city and older maps provided insights into the core area of the walled city.”
He stated that knowledge exists about the craftsmen quarter, a Buddhist temple, and the location of this palace.
“However, we only poor understand the inner layout of the city and its extent beyond the actual walled areas as well the social organisation of its population,” the researcher stated.
To fill in the gaps they surveyed an 1,149 acre area of land over 52 days using a piece of equipment known as ‘SQUID’ (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device).
They found the remains and gates of walls and gates, as well as a city that extended beyond the walls.
Advanced geophysics enabled them to map the roads, neighborhoods and other details of the ancient city without having to dig up the surrounding land.
However, the team discovered that the greatest feature of Karakorum was not the walls, as 40% of the area inside the walls were left empty.
This not only measures the topography, but also the magnetic field below the surface. Different materials have varying magnetic properties.
They used the ‘SQUID data, field surveys, aerial photography, and an analysis of historical records to create a map of Karakorum.
Prof. Bemmann stated that the most exciting aspect of his work was the ability to see the progress in data acquisition during field season.
“It was amazing to see the increasing extent of the map every day and the digital reconstruction of Karakorum.
Professor Jan Bemmann, study lead, found that the Mongolian city, first rediscovered in 1889 but rarely studied since, stretched far beyond its walls
Preliminary reconstruction based on topographic and magnetic mapping of the road system leading to Karakorum.
Our understanding of the city grew with each passing day.
They mapped the city walls and revealed three of the four main gates that William of Rubruck mentioned in his 13th century discourse. But they also looked beyond the walls.
According to the paper published in Antiquity, Rubruck believed that the entire city of Karakorum was protected by ramparts during the thirteenth-century CE. This was based on his knowledge of medieval western European cities.
This perspective informed archaeologists and historians later on, painting a picture that has lasted generations of a city within its walls.
The authors explained that a combination of large-scale, high resolution surveys was done to show that there were no clear boundaries to the city. Furthermore, the built areas became less dense as it moved further from its centre.
Within the walls, the city covered approximately half a mile. There were several neighborhoods with different building designs. These suggested distinct functions and inhabitants in different parts of the city.
There were larger deposits in the middle part of the city, which indicates that some parts were occupied longer and built out from the center.
Despite all the construction, it was a mostly empty city with around 40% of the walls left unoccupied. This reflects the mainly nomadic origins and many of its inhabitants who remained nomadic even after the building was completed.
As such they would not have needed to visit the city much, if at all, so would not need to build permanent residences, the researchers explained.
Even Ögödei and Möngke, who founded and built the city, would have only spent part of the year there – although they did build palaces, and powerful members of Mongolian society joined them in constructing permanent dwellings in the city.
The city’s only permanent residents may have been the labourers and craftspeople. Many would have been relocated permanently or taken as prisoners-of-war, adding to its alien nature, the team explained.
It was founded by Ögödei, son and successor of Chinggis, who is more commonly known as Genghis Khan, as a permanent home for the massive empire
They wrote that the uniqueness of these cities is in the fact they were “implanted” by the ruler into a landscape with no fixed architecture, and that permanent inhabitants were brought in from abroad.
“Hence, these cities remained foreign entities. The continued existence of which was not important for the pastoral nomads as they weren’t dependent on them.
Professor Bemmann said that research into Karakorum goes beyond shedding light on a capital, but also on a different type city than those found in Europe.
He says it was made by the ruling classes but that it is not connected to them or wider Mongolian society.
These findings were published in the journal Antiquity.
GENGHIS KHAN: THE GENOCIDAL FOUNDER FOR THE MONGOL EMPIRE
Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan.
Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan.
He created a military state in the early 1200s that invaded its neighboring countries and expanded.
The Empire ruled quickly over most of what would become modern Korea and China, Russia, eastern Europe (southeast Asia), Persia, India, and Russia.
Khan became the master of half the world and inspired humanity with a fear lasting for generations.
He was a prolific father, having hundreds of children across his territories. Some scientists believe that he has 16,000,000 male descendants.
The Mongol Empire had already occupied a large portion of Central Asia and China when he died in August 1227.
Originally known as Temüjin of the Borjigin, legend has it Genghis was born holding a clot of blood in his hand.
His father was Khan, or emperor, of a small tribe but was murdered when Temüjin was still young.
The new tribal leader wanted nothing to do with Temujin’s family, so with his mother and five other children, Temüjin was cast out and left to die.
Genghis occupied almost four times as many lands as Alexander the Great. He is still revered by Mongolians and some parts of China.
Historians believe he was responsible to the deaths of almost 40 million people through his large-scale massacres civilian populations.