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HAN DYNASTY
WALL - STEIN
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This is a listing of the towers and
structures Sir Aurel Stein found on the ancient Han Dynasty wall - this wall
extends from east to west along the Su-lo Ho, mostly on the left, south bank,
but on its eastern section on the right, north bank. The towers, however, are
numbered more in the order in which Stein visited them, and he first came
across the wall toward its western end, on the caravan route to Tun-Huang. Here
we list them more or less in sequence from the western end toward the east. We
made rather poor copies of the photos that Sir Aurel provided in the text of
his reports. Hopefully, they will give some idea of the remarkable condition of
these towers after 2000 years in desert subjected to fierce sand
storms. |
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The left - western - side of Stein's map of
the Han Dynasty wall and towers north of Tun-huang - from tower Tvid to Tiva,
Tii, Tiia
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Left-center section of Stein's map of the Han
Dynasty wall - Towers Tv, Tiva, Tivb, Tivc. Tiii, Tvii, Tviii, Tixa, Tix, Tx,
Txi Txii.
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Central section of Stein's map of the Han
Dynasty wall with towers Tx, Txi,Txviiia, Txii, Txiii, Txiv, Txviiib, Txivc,
Txix, Txxi, Txva, Txv, Txvi, Txvii, Txxii, Txxi
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Map of central portion of the section of the
Han Dynasty wall and towers north of Tun-huang - Towers from Tvid to Txii a and
b - Tower Tiva is the famous "Jade Gate' behind the line of the wall - it
was the control, customs and immigration station at the location that the
caravan route to Lu-lan passed through the wall.
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Detail of eastern section of Stein map of the
Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang showing the Khara nor lake and Towers
Txviiia, Txviiib, Txvii, Txviic, Txxiia, Txviii, txix, Txx, Txxi, Txiib,
Txxiic, Txxiid, txxiiia, txxiii
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The eastern section of the map of Sir Aurel
Stein's exploration of a section of the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang
with Towers from Tix to Txxiii
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Tvid - south west of the end of the wall
on an isolated plateau - it was a watch tower to cover the western end of the
line and the gap to the south-west |
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Plan 37 - for two watch towers at far west
end of the Han line - actually south west and detached from the wall - Tvib and
T vic - Tower Tvib - to cover part of the western end of the line - a watch
tower - SW of the end of the front line, but close to it.
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Plan 37 - Plan for tower Tvic - part of
the Han wall complex. It is south west of the end of the wall, next in order -
on an isolated mound west of tower Tvib |
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Tvia - part of the western set of
covering watch towers - SW of tower Tv on a ridge north of Tvib - These four
watch towers are to cover the wide marsh and gravel area to the west of the
line itself. This is just south of the delta of the Su-lo Ho |
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Tvi - Watch tower SW of the end of the
line on a ridge |
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Tii - north west of the wall on a plateau
next to the river bed - designed to provide early warning of the approach of
anyone coming along the ridge line on the caravan to and from Lou Lan - Tiia is
further north from Tii on the same plateau and caravan route. |
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Photo- 194 -Tiva -western end of the Han
dynasty wall northwest of Tun-huang - It is the last tower actually at the
western end of the fortified line (wall) - near the river bed - there are two
unnumbered towers SW between Tiva and Tv. |
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Tower Tivb - next after
Tiva |
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Photo 183 - Ancient fort Txiv at "Jade
Gate' on the Han Dynasty wall near Tun-huang - Stein spent quite a bit of
effort and analysis on determining which of the towers and forts corresponded
to the famous "Jade Gate' described in Han documents. This was the customs
and immigration station adjacent to the wall that controlled merchant entrance
and exit. Since jade was the most famous valuable coming into China from the
Khotan region the customs place received this nick name.
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Plan 40 - Local site plan and tower plan
for tower Txiv and local site plan for tower Txva. Tower Txiv is located south
of Txiva on a ridge - Stein identifies this as the famous "Jade
Gate" |
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Photo 184 - Ancient fort Txiv - the Jade Gate
on the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang - gate is in west wall - Stein's
party investigating
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Tivc - located behind the fortified wall
south of Tiva and Tvb on a ridge |
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Plan 36 - for watch stations Tiii, Tivb, Tv,
and Txix - Tower Tiii is the third tower to the east along the wall on a ridge
above a jungle between it and the river
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Plate 36 - Plan for ruined watch station
tower T xix - part of the Han wall complex.
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Plate 36 - Plans for towers T iii, T ivb, Tv
- part of the Han wall complex.
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Plate 38 - Plan of tower Txiii part of the
Han wall complex.
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Photo 204 - The next (4th) Watch tower - Tvii
- east and across a ravine from Tiii, in the Han Dynasty wall north of
Tun-huang -note how this shows the construction method - layers of reeds or
branches between layers of clay - Note the pairs of holes for use with a rope
in climbing to top. It really is amazing that such a tower could remain in even
this condition after 2000 years of steady assault by wind-driven sand.
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Plan 38 - for towers Tviii, Txii, and Txiii -
Tower Tviii is the next (5th) tower to the east in the center of a plateau with
remains of the actual wall on both side. Tower Txii - A short distance sosuth
east of Txi on a narrow ridge
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Plan 38 - Plan for towers Tviii and Txii -
part of the Han wall complex. Tviii is east of Tvii in the center of a plateau
with remains of the wall on both sides. Txii is a short distgance ssouth east
of Txi on a narrow ridge.
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Plate 39 - Plan for the ruined towers T xiia,
xiva, xvi on the Han wall west of Tun-huang
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Photo 173 - ancient watch tower on Han
Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang - Again, the next tower to the east - on the
right (facing north) side - the eastern side of the plateau overlooking a
depression - the wall continues NE from Tix to Tx |
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Tower Tx - Located in a depression near a
lake |
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photo 178 - The next tower to the east, on a
small plateau, Txi on the Han Dynasty wall near Tun-huang
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Plan 39 - for towers Txiia, Txiva, and Txvi
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Plan 39 - Watch tower Txiia and layout of
piles of fascines
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Plan 39 - Plan for the ruined towers Txiva,
Txvi on the Han wall west of Tun-huang
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Photo 181 - Ancient watch tower Txii on the
Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang - Located on the wall itself, next to the
east in the center of a plateau - from here the wall line is to the NE across a
ridge and two ravines to Txivb
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Photo 180 - Ancient watch tower T xiii with
quarters on the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang
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Txivb - Located on the brow of a ridge
over looking the river |
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Txiva - Located near Txivb on the
southern part of a ridge |
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Txivc - Located further south on a cross
wall |
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Txv - Located on the wall east of Txiva
on the brow of a ridge |
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Txvi - The next tower to the east,
located in the middle of the wall across a plain |
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Plate 40 - Site plan for ruined station Txva
on the Han wall west of Tun-huang
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Txvii - The next tower to the east,
located on a ridge |
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Txviia - Located to the north east and
north of the wall |
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Txviib- Located on a ridge south of the
others |
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Photo 186 - Ruins of ancient magazine Txviii
on the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang
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Photo 182 - North west corner of enclosure of
ancient magazine Txviii near the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang
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Plan 41 for Tower Txiii - actually the large
magazine building that served as granary and arms depot for the defense line
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Photo 190 - Ancient watch tower Txx on Han
Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang - The next tower -SE on a ridge - was part of
the wall between the other two
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Txxi - Located further east and above the
river |
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Txxiia - Located still further east in
the middle of high ground overlooking the river |
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Txxiib - The next tower to the east, on a
ridge |
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Txxiic - On the wall between the others -
on the edge of Lake Khara nor |
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Plans for watch stations T xxiif, T xxiid, T
xxiie, T iva at the Han Dynasty wall north west of Tun huang
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Photo 202 - Refuse heap below watch tower T
xxiif - Han Dynasty wall north of Tun-huang - Note the man barely visible in
this poor photo. Stein was always looking for refuse dumps as they contained so
many written documents as well as other articles from Chinese daily life. And
the totally dry climate preserved so much unless the dump was too close to a
marsh from which underground moisture could rise.
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Txxiiia - South east of the wall, well
back from the wall itself |
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Plans for watch station T xxiiib and section
of cross wall - Txxiiic - at the Han Dynasty wall north west of Tun huang far
to the rear (south) of the wall on the caravan track from the south toward the
wall
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Plans for watch stations T xia, T xxiiif,
Txxiiil at the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun huang
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Plans for watch stations T xlii, T xxliiv,
Txliib, T xliia, T xlid, at the Han Dynasty wall north of Tun huang
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Plan 34 - for towers Txxv, Txxvii, and Txxix
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Plate 34 - Plan for ruined watch station
tower T xxvii - part of the Han wall complex.
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Plate 34 - Plans for ruined watch station
towers T xxix and xxv - part of the Han wall complex.
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