White banners were flown in times of peace while black ones were used when the Mongols were on the warpath. Tug banners were available in just two (albeit effective) colour schemes. The tops of the banner poles were often adorned with metal tridents or spearheads, the former being a symbolic representation of fire or, in some cases, the Three Jewels of Buddhism. The use of horse hair reflected the nomadic warriors’ dependence on horses for their survival, both as a means of transport and as a food supply. Like the ones seen in the game, tug banners normally consisted of circular umbrella-like canopies made from numerous strands of horse hair and mounted on poles. In fact, the Polish cavalry continued to use ceremonial tug banners (known as buńczuk in Polish) well into the early 20th century, a symbol of the country’s Tatar heritage.
It’s therefore unsurprising that similar banners could be found as far west as Ukraine or Poland.
The tug (туг), also known as a sulde (сүлд), is a military standard or banner that was used by various Turkic peoples throughout the Middle Ages but is most commonly associated with the Mongol Empire, whose troops conquered vast stretches of land in Asia, Russia (including parts of Siberia), Eastern Europe, and even the Middle East in the 13th and 14th centuries. A Mongolian tug banner as seen in Rise of the Tomb Raider (Image credit: Kelly M)
