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05 Ghost towns on the Silk Road, China

by BassVac | Sep 10, 2009 | 44 | 86

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ancient city Gaochang Jiaohe SCE SCF Silk Road China www
Gaochang was a large fortified garrisoned city in the Gobi desert and Silk Road caravans stopped here for supplies and to trade. The city dated back to the 1st century BC. It was burnt down in wars in the 14th century. The ruins cover two million square metres so we used donkey carts to explore this site.
Astana tombs were the cemetery for Chinese settlers in Gaochang from the 4th- 8th century. The tombs consist of sloping passageways leading downwards for 4 or 5m to a rockcut entrance that leads into a brick-lined chamber. Due to the arid environment many important artifacts have been well preserved at the tombs, including natural mummies.
Jiaohe Ruins are in the Yarnaz Valley, 10 km west of Turpan. Jiaobe city was an important site on the Silk Road route going west. Founded 450 AD, the city was mainly carved out of the loess soil on a large islet in the middle of a river. The 30 metre high cliffs on all sides formed a natural defence. It was destroyed by Genghis Khan in the 13th century.