Mythology
Mongolian Mythology Quiz
Tengri, Erlik, and the Eternal Blue Sky — how well do you know Mongol myth?
Tengri, Erlik, and the Eternal Blue Sky — how well do you know Mongol myth?
When Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes in 1206, he claimed a divine mandate from Mongke Tengri, the Eternal Blue Sky. This belief in heavenly authority wasn't mere political posturing — it drew from a shamanistic tradition stretching back thousands of years across the Central Asian steppe. This quiz explores 50 questions about Mongol gods, ancestral myths, and sacred rituals that shaped one of history's greatest empires.
Tengri (also called Mongke Tengri, meaning "Eternal Blue Sky") is the supreme sky god in Mongolian and broader Turkic-Mongol shamanistic tradition. He presides over a pantheon of 99 tngri — 55 benevolent western sky spirits and 44 malevolent eastern ones. Mongol rulers from Genghis Khan onward claimed their authority came directly from Tengri's will.
Ovoos are sacred stone cairns found on hilltops, mountain passes, and other spiritually significant locations across Mongolia. Travelers traditionally circumambulate them three times clockwise while adding stones and making offerings to local spirits. They serve as sites for prayer, ritual, and connection between the earthly and spiritual realms.
According to the Secret History of the Mongols (composed circa 1227-1240), Borte Chono (the Grey Wolf) and Gua Maral (the Beautiful Doe) were the mythical ancestors of all Mongol peoples. They crossed a great body of water and settled at the sacred mountain Burkhan Khaldun, establishing the lineage that would eventually produce Genghis Khan.