The large archaeological hotspot known as Por-Bajin sits on an island in the middle of Tere-Khol Lake and while most of the site sits right on the surface it is still one of the most mysterious ancient sites in Russia.
First rediscovered in 1891, the walled rectangular ruins were initially thought to have been a fortress. With the main wall enclosing a number of what were once smaller structures surrounding a larger main building, the site is arrayed in a similar fashion Chinese royal palace complexes (although on a much smaller scale). Researchers have determined that the site was probably created in the 8th century CE by the local Tuvan population, however while the ruins of the buildings stick out clear as day, there seems to be little to no debris or leftover evidence of human life at the site.
This lack of evidence as to the daily activities of the builders of the site has left researchers baffled about the true purpose of the site. Many early theories seemed to jump to the conclusion that it was a military fortress due to the large outer wall, but its secluded location (on an island in the middle of a Siberian lake) and lack of daily accouterments has poked some holes in that thinking. The current prevailing theory is that the site was actually a Buddhist temple complex of some kind, although this too is based only on observation, and not artifact evidence.
Strangely the site lacks any trace of a heating system of any kind, which in the middle of Siberia is extremely odd. Some have taken this as an indication of why the site was abandoned in the first place as though the original builders liked the spot until the first winter hit and they ran away freezing. Whatever the site's original purpose or the reasons it was abandoned, Por-Bajin continues to fuel the minds of archaeologists and visitors in equal measure.
