 Following the fall of the Christian kingdom of Sarir in the early 12th century and later weakening of neighbouring Georgians by the Mongol invasions, who made their first appearance in the Caucasus with approximately 20,000 warriors led by Subutai and Jebe terminated further Christian Georgian presence in this area.In fact, numerous traces of Christianity (crosses, chapels) are found within the Avar territory and it is now assumed that Christianity, penetrating from Georgia, survived among the Avars down to the 14th-15th centuries.After ravaging Georgia, the Mongols cut across the Caucasus Mountains during the winter to get around the Derbent Pass.