Golden horses of Batu

A lot of interest of historians and archaeologists is caused by the legend about golden horses of Batu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Golden Horde. What kind of horses are they? In predatory campaigns and raids Batu captured a huge amount of gold. Seeking to emphasize his wealth, greatness and power, the ambitious khan ordered masters to cast two full-size gold horses. The order was executed, and the cast golden Batu horses of the sunny suit with burning ruby eyes decorated the gate. Saray-Batu - the capital of the Golden Horde. Until now, people's rumor is divergent in the question - were those golden horses of Batu hollow or completely gold. But khans are also mortal. When Batu died, his younger brother and successor Khan Berke decided to erect a new capital in the lower Volga region, which would have been even more grandiose and grand than the former. Soon Saray-Berke was built, and the sculptured golden horses Batu moved there.

A lot of interest of historians and archaeologists is caused by the legend about golden horses of Batu

Years and decades passed. Time inexorably replaced the lords of the Golden Horde. From one khan to another passed by heredity and cast handsome men - golden horses of Batu. When Khan Mamai died in 1380, he was buried under the walls of Saray-Berke and together with him, Batu was dropped into one of the golden horses. Archaeologists say that somewhere on one of the hills near Akhtuba that near the village of Rastegaevka near Prishib there are several "Mamayevsky burial mounds", in one of which the "living Mamai" is allegedly sleeping.

His twin was destined for a different fate. A detachment of brave Russian soldiers made a daring raid on Sarai-Berke and "captured" the golden horse of Batu. The enemy arranged a chase after the brave ones, and there was nothing else to do but hide their precious trophy at the bottom of the steppe river they met, and enter into an unequal battle with the vastly superior forces of the pursuers. In this battle all the Russian soldiers fell to one another, carrying with them to the grave the secret of the golden horse of Batu. After the destruction of the hordes of Timur in the end of the 14th century, Sarai-Berke, the golden horse of Batu, disappeared without a trace, which, according to legend, was in the grave of Mamai.

The Horde did not recognize the truth, for not one of the soldiers had surrendered and betrayed their comrades. Near the mountain of corpses there was no statue. Far away to take her away from the soldiers did not have time, so they hid it and the rest of the treasure somewhere nearby. In the steppe bury - this also takes time. So, after all, they drowned at the bottom of the steppe rivulet that met them?..

But were these golden horses of Batu really or they existed only in the legend? No answer so far.

Tools