The Twendalirha Site

　　The Twendalirha Site: Situated approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Balong Township, Dulan County, Qinghai Province, Twendalirha (a Mongolian term meaning "five mountain peaks"), this site has been remarkably well-preserved due to the extremely low rainfall in the area, with some years seeing no rain at all. Covering an area of about 200,000 square meters, the site is encircled by four large earthen mounds and three smaller sand dunes. At its center lies a square-shaped plaza paved with yellow earth, measuring roughly 250 meters in length and 150 meters in width. No ruins or artifacts have been found on the plaza, making this unique layout the first of its kind discovered in China and indicating that it served as a major site for religious activities. Unlike other archaeological sites where cultural layers are buried underground, the cultural strata here lie directly on the ground surface—a highly distinctive feature. The mound has an irregular plan, featuring wooden pillars made of pine, with remnants of mortise-and-tenon structured buildings and adobe walls. The site includes dwelling foundations that are either square or circular in shape, surrounded by large enclosures built from adobe blocks, inside which large amounts of sheep dung have accumulated. A wealth of artifacts have been unearthed at the site, including silk and wool textiles, bronze ware, and more. Notably, among the ropes found, some have slipknots, others have fixed knots, and a few even feature multiple consecutive knots—possibly reflecting an ancient method of recording information through knotted cords.

　　The site has a long period of habitation, dating from the Western Zhou Dynasty at its earliest to possibly the Warring States, Qin, or Han Dynasties at its latest. Based on relevant historical records, it is believed to have been created by a branch of the ancient Qiang people. It holds significant importance for the study of China’s ethnic history, as well as the development of ancient civilization and climate change in the Qaidam Basin. On June 25, 2001, it was designated as part of the fifth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council.