By keeping to the Mongol tradition of being buried without markings, his tomb has yet to be discovered. According to legend, extreme measures were taken to ensure its location remained secret.

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The soldiers in the funeral procession slaughtered everyone they passed, the slaves who built the tomb and then themselves. Other stories claim a river was diverted or that 1,000 horses trampled the ground to remove all evidence of the final resting place.

Such a mystery was enough to get would-be Indiana Joneses intrigued, and the search continues in the vast expanse of Mongolia. Most Mongolians, however, don’t want Genghis Khan found – not out of fear of a world ending curse, but out of respect for their most extraordinary of leaders.

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This article was originally published in issue 65 of BBC History Revealed magazine

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