750-year-old city ruled by Genghis Khan’s heirs unearthed

Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a 750-year-old city, founded by the descendant’s of Genghis Khan, along the river Volga in Russia.

Two Christian temples, one of which has stone carvings and fine ceramics, are among the discoveries.

The city named Ukek was founded just a few decades after Genghis Khan died in 1227.

After Genghis Khan’s death, his empire split apart and his grandson Batu Khan, founded the Golden Horde, Live Science reported.

The Golden Horde kingdom stretched from Eastern Europe to Central Asia and controlled many of the Silk Road trade routes that connected China to Medieval Europe.

Ukek was built close to Khan’s summer residence along the Volga River, something which helped it become prosperous.

Archaeologists from the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore found the Christian quarter of Ukek, shedding light on the Christian people who lived under Khan’s rule.

“Among other things, there is a Chinese glass hairpin, with a head shaped as a split pomegranate, and a fragment of a bone plate with a carved dragon image,” said Dmitriy Kubankin, archaeologist with the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore.

One of the temples was built around 1280 and was destroyed in the early 14th century.