For centuries, maps, books, and travellers’ tales spoke of a vast land known as Tartaria. Once stretching across Siberia, Central Asia, Mongolia, and beyond, this mysterious region has today almost vanished from history. Mainstream historians dismiss Tartaria as nothing more than a geographic label used by Europeans who poorly understood the lands of the Mongols, Tatars, and other nomadic peoples.
Yet, on the internet and in conspiracy circles, Tartaria is experiencing a powerful rebirth. Believers insist that Tartaria was far more than a vague term on a map. They argue it was a global, technologically advanced empire that has been deliberately erased from human memory by powerful elites who have hidden the truth in plain sight.
The idea of Tartaria has become one of the most discussed conspiracy theories of recent years, fuelled by TikTok videos, YouTube documentaries, and online forums. At its heart lies the belief that we are living in a world built upon a gigantic historical cover-up. From ornate architecture to strange maps and buried cities, proponents say the evidence is everywhere, if you know where to look
.

Watch. Belong. Transform.
Gaia offers the largest online resource of consciousness-expanding videos—over 8,000 informative and enlightening films, original shows, yoga and meditation classes, and more that you won’t find anywhere else.
The grand vision of the Tartarian empire
Supporters of the Tartaria theory paint a picture of a civilisation unlike anything described in school textbooks. They claim Tartaria was not a small tribe or kingdom but a vast empire stretching from Eastern Europe through Siberia and Central Asia, and perhaps even into North America. In this telling, Tartaria was peaceful, prosperous, and far ahead of its time.
Its cities were said to be filled with monumental architecture, impossibly ornate domes, intricate facades, and massive public buildings that could rival anything seen in Paris, Rome, or London. Believers say these structures were not built by the societies credited with them in the 18th and 19th centuries, but instead inherited from Tartaria after a great cataclysm.
Alongside these architectural marvels, many point to the possibility of advanced technology, including systems for free, wireless energy. This ties into theories inspired by inventors like Nikola Tesla, who believed in the possibility of transmitting limitless power through the earth and atmosphere. Some argue that Tartaria had mastered this technology and that it was deliberately suppressed to keep humanity dependent on fossil fuels and centralised power grids.
Hidden in plain sight: The mud flood theory
One of the most controversial aspects of Tartaria conspiracy thought is the so-called “mud flood”. According to believers, a global cataclysm in the 18th or 19th century buried entire cities in mud, wiping out Tartarian civilisation.
The remnants of this event can allegedly be seen today in buildings with windows and doors partially buried underground. What mainstream historians describe as basements, mud flood believers claim are the original ground floors of Tartarian buildings, left half-submerged after the disaster.
In this version of events, the elites who seized control after the flood claimed these structures as their own, rewriting history to hide Tartaria’s existence. World’s fairs and international expositions, often featuring grand buildings that were later demolished, are said to have been Tartarian architecture passed off as temporary exhibitions before being destroyed to erase the evidence.
Maps and star forts: Clues to a forgotten past
Believers also turn to old maps as evidence. For centuries, European cartographers labelled huge swathes of Asia as “Tartary” or “Grand Tartary”. Conspiracy theorists argue that this was not a vague label but proof that a recognised empire existed. They point out that historians have since dismissed the term, conveniently aligning with the disappearance of Tartaria from mainstream narratives.
Another favourite piece of evidence is the existence of star forts, geometrically precise, star-shaped fortifications found around the world. Mainstream history explains them as defensive structures designed in the gunpowder age to withstand cannon fire.
Tartaria theorists, however, claim they were part of a global system, either energy generators or protective fortifications against the mud flood itself. The identical designs across continents are taken as proof of a once-unified civilisation.
The mainstream historical explanation
Historians and archaeologists push back strongly against Tartaria conspiracy claims. From their perspective, Tartaria was never an empire but simply a term Europeans used from the 13th to the 19th century to describe vast regions they did not fully understand. “Tartars” was a blanket label applied to diverse peoples, including Mongols, Tatars, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, and more. As Russian, Chinese, and European exploration advanced, the term faded into obscurity.
As for the architecture, art historians have detailed records of Neoclassical, Beaux-Arts, and Gothic Revival styles that flourished in Europe and beyond in the 18th and 19th centuries. Blueprints, construction photos, and written accounts document the building of these structures. Likewise, star forts have well-documented origins in Renaissance Italy before being adopted across Europe and its colonies.
Regarding the mud flood, geologists find no evidence of a global event. Instead, they point to natural changes in soil, street elevation adjustments, and urban development over centuries, which often buried the original ground floors of buildings.
Why Tartaria resonates today
If mainstream historians are so clear in their rejection of Tartaria as a real empire, why has the theory spread so widely in recent years? The answer lies less in history and more in psychology, culture, and distrust.
Many people feel alienated by official narratives that seem dry, incomplete, or controlled by elite institutions. The Tartaria theory offers something different: a romantic, exciting vision of a golden age lost to time. It explains anomalies that can feel puzzling to a layperson, like buried windows or spectacular old buildings that seem out of place.
It also feeds into a broader distrust of authority. If governments and academics can lie or manipulate information in one area, why not history as well? Social media algorithms, designed to promote engaging and controversial content, have given Tartaria an endless audience. Each photo of a grand old building or map fragment becomes a piece of “evidence”, shared and reinterpreted across forums and platforms.

The dark side of the myth
Like many conspiracy theories, Tartaria has a darker side. In some circles, the idea of a hidden empire erased by global elites becomes entangled with antisemitic and supremacist narratives. Claims of a secret cabal destroying history often echo older conspiracy tropes. In Russia, versions of the theory have been used for nationalist purposes, reimagining Tartaria as the “true” ancient identity of Russia.
This overlap complicates the theory, blurring the line between innocent curiosity and harmful ideology. Historians warn that while it might begin as a fun speculation about architecture, Tartaria conspiracy thinking can pull people deeper into a worldview built on mistrust, resentment, and extremist ideas.
Tartaria: Myth, memory, or hidden truth?
The story of Tartaria sits at the crossroads of history and myth. On the one hand, there was indeed a historical Tartary, a label used for centuries by Europeans to describe lands stretching across Asia. On the other hand, the modern Tartarian Empire conspiracy is a product of reinterpretation, imagination, and distrust, growing rapidly thanks to social media and the human hunger for hidden truths.
To mainstream historians, Tartaria as a lost empire is pure fantasy. To believers, however, the theory explains anomalies, validates suspicion of elites, and offers the hope that humanity once lived in a more advanced and harmonious age. The allure of Tartaria lies not in its historical accuracy but in its promise that there is more to the past than what we have been told.
The enduring mystery
Whether seen as a misunderstood term or a deliberately hidden empire, Tartaria has become a cultural phenomenon. It reflects our longing for mystery in an age where so much seems explained, our suspicion of authority in a time of information overload, and our fascination with the possibility that history may not be what it seems.
The truth, as historians maintain, is that Tartaria was never a secret empire. Yet the persistence of the theory reveals something powerful about human imagination. In Tartaria, we find a mirror for our doubts, dreams, and desire to believe that the world still holds secrets waiting to be uncovered.
__________________________

Every month in 2025 we will be giving away one Amazon eGift Card. To qualify subscribe to our newsletter.
When you buy something through our retail links, we may earn commission and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Recent Articles
- Why is social media dying?
- The home workout that pays for itself: Less stress, more energy to earn
- Prostate cancer: 10 warning signs men should never ignore
- Carnival 2026: Your 10-step guide to an unforgettable Trinidad and Tobago experience
- Dynamic pricing: How a silent shift in technology turned everyday shopping into a high-stakes game
You may also like:
The terrifying truth about 3I/ATLAS: Is alien life watching us right now?
The 10 most infamous ‘secret meetings’ of the elites where world decisions are really made
Why do men think about Rome and the Roman Empire?
The post-hire paradox: Why our star recruit became our biggest HR problem
The best horror movies of all time: Ranked
They won’t let their kids online, but they demand yours live there
Printer not working: Why yellow ink stops everything and the best solution
Why every house should have a dehumidifier
Why every parent should invest in blue light glasses: The unseen shield for a digital generation
Tariffs and jobs: How Trinidad’s auto industry thrived before its decline
The domino effect: How US tariffs reshape CARICOM economies and geopolitics
How to send money from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States: A guide to using Ria Money Transfer
How nationals can open a US bank account from Trinidad and Tobago
How to open a US bank account without visiting the United States
How foreign exchange restrictions hurt economies
10 Legal ways to earn US dollars from Trinidad and Tobago
Unofficial dollarization: Causes, impacts, and how to manage it
Capital flight: What happens when governments nationalise bank accounts
Gold in Trinidad? The hidden wealth just outside Port-of-Spain
AI side hustle: Top 10 ideas – your ticket to financial freedom
Guaranteed tech career: US$119K or your money back with TripleTen
Designing the perfect business plan
5 Million-dollar business ideas: Cultivating innovation and opportunity in Trinidad and Tobago
5 Powerful entrepreneur resources to sharpen your business skills, succeed
@sweettntmagazine
Discover more from Sweet TnT Magazine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Sweet TnT Magazine Trinidad and Tobago Culture
You must be logged in to post a comment.