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KHARA-KHOTO -RUIN
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Sir Aurel Stein visited this ruin in the
delta of the Etsin-gol during his third expedition. The fortress city was named
Etsin by Marco Polo. The Chinese name now is Heicheng. Here we have made photos
of some of the illustrations in Stein's report, Innermostasia. The
photography is poor, but hopefully will give the reader some idea of the
extense of this remarkable ruin. Innermostasia is among the books by
Aurel Stein included in the Silk Road project on the Internet but viewing a
selection of photos of the fortifications is not as convenient. I have also
made copies from sections of Stein's maps to show the general
location.
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Stein was the second famous
archeologist-explorer to visit Khara-khoto. The Russian, Pyotr Kozlov visited
twice from 1908 and removed extensive artifacts to St. Petersburg leaving
relatively little for Stein in comparison with what Stein uncovered in other
locations.
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A Google search finds many web sites
with articles and or photos of this remarkable ancient city.
Stein's books are included on the web site of the Silk Road project - Toko
There is a Wikipedia entry -
Also a National Geographic article
Some very recent photos are spectacular and show the
ruin has had some restoration but it essentially the same as in Stein's photos.
An excellent article by a Russian, A. Andreyhev focused on the work of Pyotr
Kozlov.
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Khara-Khoto is located at 101 degrees 25
min East Longitude and 41 degrees 44 minutes north Latitude. The area was
controlled by the Hsiung-nu and Great Yueh-chih before the Han Chinese expanded
their domain westward. Later was controlled by the Uighur, and Tanguts before
Chingis Kan's Mongols arrived in 1225. The city was occupied by the Hsi-hsia
from 1032 to 1227 and then by the Mongols until 1366. The nearest town was
Dashoba to the north on the other side of the Etsin-gol. Aduna-kora was a
smaller walled fort 2 miles to the northwest. It had inner wall 20 feet thick
and outer wall 12 feet thick both made of stamped clay. The inner enclosure was
83 yards square and the outer 220 yards east to west and 180 yards north to
south. There were gates in the south and east faces. Stein found pottery there
from the Sung Dynasty. Both Aduna-kofra and Dashoba are shown on the maps
listed below. |
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The description from Stein's report -
Innermostasia.
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Stein was able to hire local Torgut Mongol herdsmen from their nearby
camp in winter, although they had to be closely supervised. He spent 8 days in
excavation work. The outer wall was 466 yards long on the north side and 381
yards long on the west side They were 38 feet thick at the base made of stamped
clay with wood frame. The walls were still 30 feet high and 12 feet wide at the
top with a parapet and loop holes. Inside there was a ramp leading to the top.
The gate was 18 feet wide and protected by an out work. There were large
circular bastions on the 4e corners and rectangular bastions o nthe sides. .
There were both Buddhist stupa and Mohammeden tomb on or near the
wall.
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This extract from Stein's map shows the
location of the ruins of the fortress city, Khara-Khoto just east of the
Etsin-gol dry river bed and Stein's route along the river north east from
Tung-huang to find it. The city was still a major desert oasis when Marco Polo
passed by even though it had been severely damaged by Chingis Khan a few years
previously. The dotted lines mark Stein's routes.
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This extract from Stein's map shows the
location of the ruins of the fortress city, Khara-Khoto just east of the
Etsin-gol dry river bed and Stein's route along the river north east from
Tung-huang to find it. The city was still a major desert oasis when Marco Polo
passed by even though it had been severely damaged by Chingis Khan a few years
previously. The dotted lines mark Stein's routes. Note the tower symbols for
detached ruins.
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This is another detailed look at a section of
one of Stein's maps of the Etsin-gol dry river bed and adjacent Khara-khoto
fortress city ruins.
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Sketches made by Stein of two more forts one
near the Han Dynasty wall and one in the complex near Khara-Khoto.
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Stein's sketch map drawn with use of plane
table of the immediate terrain around the ruin if Khara-Khoto fortress city.
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Stein's sketch of the details of Khara-Khoto
ruined fortress city showing circular and rectangular bastions along the walls
and the gate defenses. Also he depicts the foundations he uncovered for some of
the interior buildings.
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Sketches Stein made of several ruins at
Khara-Khoto - there was an impressive Buddhist stupa the cross section of which
is shown.
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Plans of ruined buildings north of
Khara-khoto
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Plans of ruined buildings north of
Khara-khoto
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Photo 240 - Photo Stein made of the
south-west wall of Khara-Khoto showing the remains of the Buddhist stupa on the
corner bastion.
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Photo 241 - Northwestern corner of the walls
of Khara-khoto with stupas outside - note the large breach in the wall
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Photo 242 - Stein's photo of the south face
of the Khara-Khoto city wall showing that over the many centuries sand has
piled up against this wall due to the direction of prevailing wind. Not also
the dead trees.
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Photo 245 - Interior of Khara-khoto view
toward north west
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Photo 247 - North west corner of Khara- khoto
fortress wall from inside showing the strange cut in the wall and the stupa
outside.
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Photo 243 - The west wall of Khara-khoto
fortress with Muhammaden tomb at the SW corner.
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Photo 244 - Interior of Khara-khoto view
toward the SE
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Photo 246 - Western wall of Khara-khoto
showing the breaches made by wind-driven sand and piles of sand against the
wall.
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Photo 248 - Ruined stupas built above the
north-west corner of Khara-khoto walls
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Photo 250 - Bastions guarding the eastern
gate of Khara-khoto - note how Stein poses one of his assistants in these
photos to show scale.
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Photo 251 - Ruin of Muhammadan tomb at K.K VI
-Khara-khoto view from north. Stein's intrepid pet dog appears.
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Photo 252 - Front of Muhammaden tomb - K.K.
VI - at Khara-khoto
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Photo 256 - Ruined shrine and stupa K.K IV at
Khara-khoto
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