Myths and legends of Kyrgyzstan
Treasures of Issyk-Kul Lake
According to the historical science in the lake region there could
be as many as 200 big and small treasures. At various times Shabdan Dzhantaev
has treasure hunted, he as well as the USSR Ministry Government Safety Department,
Geology Department of Kyrgyz SSR and many fans all of which organized the
searches.
Here are the details, based on historical documents, and the Kyrgyz tradition,
of some of the buried treasures. The most recent of them belong to the 20th
century.
1. Among the Russian settlers at the lake, since the 1930s, there
is the legend of the "golden path" in Semenovskyi Valley found by the Russian
officer in 1916: apparently, someone was scared of uprising raging Kyrgyz
and was trying to hide jewelry; while doing so one of the packages broke,
and jewelry somehow marked a path. Treasure has yet to be found.
2. In 1934 a visitor at the resort Koy-Sary, was sun-bathing
on the "wild" beach, his attention was caught to the fact that some grains
of sand were burning on the sun because they were so hot. This is golden
sand! But nothing like this has ever been created here by the nature. It
turned out to be that the golden sand from the shores of Siberian rivers,
hidden in the rocks on the shore at a time of Stalin�s repression. And golden
treasure disappeared once again!
3. Rumours of the local population of buried on the beach or
under water hidden treasures of the Baron Ungern Von Sternberg, the Head
of White Guard formations of "Black Baron".
4. Legend of the �Golden Boat" (XVI century). The ruler of a
city on the coast, saw year to year turbulent rise of the water level of
the Lake. He decided to move the city to another location. Meanwhile, strife
was everywhere, and no one could be trusted, until a new secure repository
was built, the ruler decided to simply bury the treasures under the water
in a boat in a place known to him only. This was what he has done. During
the relocation master of the treasures got killed. Treasures have not been
discovered yet.
5. Christians treasures � Nestorians.
In 1218 Chingiz Khan sent a group of 25,000 horsemen which was led by Dzhebe-noyonom
commander to Chui Valley, he was the second son of Khan Chatatay. Monks
of Christian monastery in Suyabe that are near Balasaguna (capital of Karahanidskyi
State) and settled rich residents-christians decided to flee the Mongols,
taking the accumulated precious treasures. The caravan of two hundred camels
loaded with gold and silver jewelry hastily moved to the northern shore
of Issyk-Kul in the direction of Kashgar, when the scouts brought the news
that there was a detachment of Mongols moving toward the escapees out of
the pass Santash. Trapped by the horse cavalry from both sides, from left
by the mountains, from right by the Lake, Christians began to look for a
place to hide the treasures. Fortunately, on the way, right on the lake stood
brothers-christians� Armenian monastery. During the night the monks and the
escapees were able to hide some of the treasures on the shore or in coastal
waters. In the morning, Caravan moved to the hills and waited in the cave,
to which was flowing mountainous river. The waters of the river were taken
away and the treasures that were put onto the bottom of the cave, were cut
off by the stone slabs, on one of which was outlined the cross and it was
buried with the layer of soil. Then the river was let to flow in its old
stream. Treasures were flooded.
6. Chingiz Khan�s treasures at the bottom of the lake.
Many generations of treasure hunters dreamt of finding Chingiz Khan�s
treasures and his grave. Currently, a large international team of archaeologists
armed with the most advanced search systems (even space technology!), "plough"
inconclusive mound and deserts of Mongolia. According to many Kyrgyz historians
and archaeologists they are on the wrong path. In their version, the sons
of the great conqueror after his death in 1227 faked the funeral in Ordos,
while secretly sent the body along with oldest burial treasures of Issyk-Kul.
According to tradition, the Kyrgyz elders sure that these places belong
to the son of Chingiz Khan Chagatay who ordered to make a rugged mountain
echidna coffin, where was placed the body of the deceased, gold and jewellery
and submerged in the depths of the lake. The remaining value was hidden
in a mountain cave, which was flooded by pulling the water from the nearest
river. All participants of private burial had their heads cut off which were
used to build a hill on the shore of Issyk-Kul lake. In this way, the secret
of the burial Grand warrior and his treasures was saved.
Historical facts
1. In the early 20th century a plan of the map of the treasures buried
in the Issyk-Kul was brought to Kyrgyzstan from China.
2. Using the map, immigrants coming from China, in 1926 began excavations
of Kurmentinskoy caves in search of treasures.
3. Hunters at a depth of 6 m found a stone plate with unknown characters
(which coincided as a part of the plan), and two old "hammers" one made
of copper and another of gold. The golden one was passed to the office "Zolotosnab"
city of Przhevalsk in 1930 which were documented. Further hunters works
were banned.
4. In 1952, in strict secrecy of the search for treasure began by the major
organization of the Ministry of State security.
5. In the 1968-1975, Kyrgyz General E. Aliev, a witness and participant
in the search for first-place in Sovmin Committee of State Security and Academy
of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic to continue the search for treasures.
6. 27 August 1975, the newspaper "Pravda" in the article "Return to Secrecy"
reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was seeking stories of Chingiz
Khan in the Issyk-Kul.
7. In the 1976-1977. Kyrgyz administration of geology, while checking the
legends of treasures, was secretly scanning the location in the Kyrmentov
region and provided the conclusion that there is a possibility of finding
metals at the bottom. Therefore further study by the archaeological methods,
i.e. excavations is recommended.
8. In 1996-1997 works of archaeologists and geologists have started discreetly,
but have been suspended for the lack of funds.
9. In 1999, the permission to hold large-scale works involving foreign
investors has been received. And a special Committee has been created.
Conjecture Ilya Glazunov.
In 1996, famous Russian painter Ilia Glazunov published a book, called
�Crucified Russia�, in which he argues that the historical land of Aryans
- "country of the perfect creation" � was on the banks of Issyk-Kul lake.
"I say one thing: the legend of Kitezh city was rooted back for centuries,
when a gigantic catastrophe rich and prosperous "country of the perfect
creation� was sunk at the bottom of the huge lake, which today is called
the Issyk-Kul". He added: "� it can be seen in quiet weather in the waters
of Issyk-Kul. The traces of a sunken city, which boundaries outlined by buildings
and walls ... in bad weather-days, waves carry bricks and other household
items, including items from the Zoroastrian culture on the shore. According
to Glazunov, thus began the great relocation of people for 12 centuries
before Christ, hence Aryans spread to the West and South to the eastern
Europe and India. There�s a secret of Aryans hidden at the bottom of the
lake that besets academic world.
It is necessary to say that the hypothesis of the lake being Aryans� historical
land, was mentioned by the Russian scientist, A.P. Chaikovsky. Nowadays,
E.E. Kuzmina, is the supporter of this hypothesis, have published in 1986
and 1994 the following books: "The ancient herders from the Urals to the
Tien Shan" and "Where have Indo-Aryans� came from?".
Steletskogo hypothesis.
Of a particular importance in the search for reports on the shores and
waters under the tax should be hypothesis of I. Steletsky, who is a famous
hunter for traces of the library and personal finances of the Ivan the Terrible.
According to Stele sky, depots of the experienced protectors of treasures
have always had double or even triple allocations: next to the real treasures
which were very well hidden, there was a sabotaged demonstration of complete
devastation. These depots kept away the searchers from the real treasures.
The famous treasure-seeker has also explored the links between Christians-Nestorians
of the Issyk-Kul Lake and Templar, in an era before the reign of Philip
the Beautiful. Knights Templar supposedly used Asian religious tolerance
in those early times and through Nestorians built a castle on one of the
island of the Issyk-Kul lake, where treasures of the Order were transported,
saving them from Saracens, and from the knights of medieval Europe. It is
known that the search for these treasures was performed by the Chingiz Khan�s
leader Subuday - Bagatur. He demanded that the conquered Chinese should
have provided him with the pearl divers, the brave ones. Why would he need
them? The Mongols were not looking for pearls; but he needed the best divers
to dive in Issyk-Kul!
Bishkek on May 8, 1996 N 15
Civil Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Article 261. Treasure.
2. If a treasure that belongs to the monuments of history and culture,
it will be transferred to public ownership. The� person found treasure is
entitled to compensation in the amount of half of the value of treasure�
A person who finds treasure of a historical and cultural value has the
right to keep it before he gets a reward. (Article 342).
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