Siberian Atlantis: The enigmatic city of Por-Bajin
The early morning mist covers the lake of Tere-Khol on the borders of Russia and Mongolia. The tranquil waters surround an island in the middle of the lake. As the mists recede, the sun’s rays fall upon the ruins of a medieval city. Walking between the ancient buildings, you are overcome with nostalgia and intrigue. Who lived here, where did they go and why did they abandon this place?
The Mystery of Por-Bajin
The city of Por-Bajin has been known since the 18th century, but large-scale research was not conducted until 2007–2008. However, still very little is known about this ancient place. It has been linked to the nomadic Uighur people due to its location, date and layout. Specifically, it was once believed that the Uighur Khagan Moyun-Chur built the city after his victory over local tribes in 750 AD. Yet, radiocarbon dates suggest the city was built long after his reign in 777 AD. But what was the purpose and function of Por-Bajin?
To answer this question, researchers looked for answers in its architecture. The city was likely built by foreign Chinese Tang architects, as is evident in some building materials, such as Chinese-style roof tiles and the Chinese style hangtu used to construct the buildings. The city’s layout is styled after the ‘ideal town’ with an axial planning system and a dominant central building. The influence of the Uighur and the Chinese Tang dynasties on each other is known; what caused researchers to scratch their heads was the style of the ‘ideal Buddhist monastery’ where living quarters were built along the enclosure wall. This religiously inspired building style was considered a mystery because there was no evidence of any religious practices in the city.
Furthermore, the lack of stationary heating meant that people would not have lived in the town in winter as it would have been too cold. So why was this city built and maintained briefly before being abandoned? Perhaps the answer lay in the rein of Tengri Bökü Khan. Bökü Khagan reigned during the construction of Por-Bajin. During his reign, he made Manichaeism the official religion of his kingdom. His reign was short, as he was killed in 779 AD by anti-Manichaean rebels. He potentially planned on making Por-Bajin a summer palace or religious site. After the end of his short reign, the city was abandoned. This would explain some religious aspects of the city’s layout and its temporary use before its abandonment. However, many questions will remain unanswered due to the lack of artefacts on the site.
The Future of Por-Bajin
The lake island on which the city was built is shrinking. Due to melting permafrost, the lake’s shoreline is rising, slowly creeping up to the city’s boundaries. Additionally, frost fissures and melting permafrost threaten the buildings’ structural integrity. In the next 80 years, the walls of Por-Bajin will collapse beneath the lake waters. One day, the waters may engulf the entire city, thus birthing the Siberian Atlantis.
However, the city has shown resilience in the past, having survived two earthquakes, one while being built (in the second half of the 8th century) and another shortly after its abandonment (during the early 9th century).
Further study is needed to understand the true purpose of the city, who built it, and why? Where did its inhabitants go after its abandonment, and what made them abandon it in the first place? All this must be answered before the city sinks beneath the water.
References
Arzhantseva, I., Inevatkina, O., Zav’yalov, V., Panin, A., Modin, I., Ruzanova, S. and Härke, H., 2011. Por-Bajin: An Enigmatic Site of the Uighurs in Southern Siberia. The European Archaeologist, 35, pp.6–11.
Kuitems, M., Panin, A., Scifo, A., Arzhantseva, I., Kononov, Y., Doeve, P., Neocleous, A. and Dee, M., 2020. Radiocarbon-based approach capable of subannual precision resolves the origins of the site of Por-Bajin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(25), pp.14038–14041.
The Archaeologist. (2022). ‘Por-Bazhyn’: The Mysterious Island Fortress in Siberia. [online] Available at: https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/por-bazhyn-the-mysterious-island-fortress-in-siberia [Accessed 23 Nov. 2023].
