Ancient City of Yuansha

Ancient City of Yuansha

The Ancient City of Yuansha is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Introduction The Ancient City of Yuansha, also known as the Ancient City of Yumulakumu, is located on the eastern bank of the ancient Keriya Riverbed in the northern part of Daheyuan Township, Yutian County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The city lies deep within the Taklamakan Desert and is almost entirely covered by sand dunes. Most of its walls are irregular and damaged. The wall structure consists of wooden-framed earthen walls, with an outer protective slope. There is one city gate each in the middle of the southern wall and the northern part of the eastern wall, with remnants of gateways, gate pillars, and gate planks still visible. Six surface-exposed architectural ruins have been found within the city, yielding artifacts made of pottery, stone, metal, and glass. Based on excavation findings, the city was initially built during the Han Dynasty, with its social economy mainly based on animal husbandry.

The ancient inhabitants of Yuansha represented the Eastern Mediterranean branch of the Europoid race, specifically the Indo-Afghan type. They likely entered western Xinjiang from Central Asia several centuries BCE or even earlier, and moved along the southern edge of the Tarim Basin into the Lop Nur region. This type differs significantly from the ancient European type, both in physical characteristics and origin. The ancient city was designated as part of the fifth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council in June 2001.　

Hotan, Xinjiang

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units