18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

From Bronze Age to Buddhism: Xinjiang’s Archaeological Journey Through Time and Recent Discoveries

Recent archaeological investigations in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have significantly enhanced our understanding of the area’s historical context and its connection to the ancient Silk Road, according to a report by Fang Aiqing and Mao Weihua from Urumqi.

Over the past year, the region’s Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology has conducted 135 archaeological projects, including surveys and excavations, in preparation for major construction initiatives. Additionally, 15 proactive excavation projects were undertaken in collaboration with institutions like the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology, as stated by the institute’s director, Li Wenying, during a January news briefing.

These proactive projects spanned various locations in Xinjiang, covering periods from the Bronze Age to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The primary aim was to uncover insights into the early civilizations of Xinjiang, its historical role in national unification, and the diverse religions that once thrived in the region.

At the Husta archaeological site in Wenquan County, a significant find was a tin-bronze alloy knife, recognized as one of the oldest bronze artifacts discovered in China and among the earliest tin-bronze items found on the Eurasian Steppe. The Husta site, located at the southern foot of the Altai Mountains, is a vast Bronze Age settlement covering tens of square kilometers, with the core area encompassing city ruins, cemeteries, and military watchtowers dating back approximately 3,600 years.

A recent excavation revealed a large cemetery located about 2 kilometers southeast of the core area, dating back 4,600 to 4,800 years, thus predating the main settlement. This cemetery features a rectangular stone-enclosed burial mound, measuring 23 meters by 25 meters and standing about 1.2 meters high, oriented slightly south of west. This discovery marks one of the earliest Bronze Age sites identified in Xinjiang.


The Mo'er Temple site in ancient Shule, located in the desert outskirts of Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Credit: CHINA DAILY
The Mo’er Temple site in ancient Shule, located in the desert outskirts of Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Credit: CHINA DAILY

Previously, similar mid-Bronze Age tombs were primarily located in the Altai Mountains, approximately 1,000 kilometers from Wenquan County. The identification of the Husta tomb has expanded the known distribution of these burial mounds into the western Tianshan Mountains during the early Bronze Age, representing a significant advancement in the archaeological understanding of this period in Xinjiang.

Artifacts unearthed at the site include pottery, wooden objects, stone scepters, arrowheads, and a variety of ornaments, indicating a rich cultural heritage. The Husta site is part of a broader network of Bronze Age locations in the Bortala River Basin, historically significant for facilitating cultural exchanges between Central Asia and inland China.

Since 2016, excavations at Husta have revealed evidence of early domesticated horses, with molecular analysis confirming their status as some of the earliest examples found in China. Additionally, remains of millet and wheat crops, along with pottery linked to the Andronovo Culture, suggest that cultural interactions across the Eurasian Steppe were well-established by the 17th century BC.

Urban archaeology has also gained prominence in Xinjiang, with significant findings at the Wushituer ruins in Kuqa City, which date back to the Wei and Jin dynasties and the Tang Dynasty. Recent excavations uncovered fragments of Buddhist statues and murals, indicating the site’s early connections to Buddhism.

Relics unearthed at the Xipang site. Credit: CHINA DAILY
Relics unearthed at the Xipang site. Credit: CHINA DAILY

Bashbaliq City, known as the Beiting ruins, has been identified as a crucial political and cultural center along the Silk Road. Ongoing excavations are expected to shed light on the city’s evolution and its multifaceted roles, including its religious significance.

The Mo’er Temple site in Kashgar, believed to have been established in the 3rd century, has also provided insights into the early adaptation of Buddhism in China, showcasing the influence of Central Plains architectural styles.

As Xinjiang continues to invest in archaeological research, upcoming projects will focus on the ruins of Loulan Ancient City and the remains of ancient Kucha, further enriching the narrative of this historically vibrant region.

Cover Image Credit: Bashbaliq City, or the Beiting ruins in Jimsar county, Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang. Credit: CHINA DAILY

Related Articles

Ukrainian Soldiers Uncover 6th–5th Century BC Burial Site During Fortification Works

1 April 2025

1 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological find, soldiers from the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade have uncovered an ancient burial site dating back...

Researchers measure the impact of Population Pressure on Prehistoric Violence in Japan’s Yayoi Period

23 August 2021

23 August 2021

Are wars part of human nature? Do people tend to fight instinctively or do they war as a result of...

Cyprus’ Lost Terracotta Warriors: Unearthing a 2,500-Year-Old Army at Agia Eirini

23 May 2025

23 May 2025

Hidden beneath the sands of time in the tranquil Morphou Bay lies Agia Eirini (Turkish: Akdeniz), a seemingly quiet village...

Ötzi the Iceman Had Dark Skin, Bald Head and Anatolian Ancestry -New study rewrites ancient history

17 August 2023

17 August 2023

New DNA analysis by German researchers shows that the famous glacier mummy Ötzi may have had dark skin, dark eyes,...

Receding waters in Lake Van reveal rock-cut Urartian port

22 September 2022

22 September 2022

Located in the eastern province of Van in Turkey, the falling water level of Lake Van, with the decrease in...

Turkey’s second ancient lighthouse found in the Bathonea

28 July 2023

28 July 2023

The excavations in the ancient Greek city of Bathonea, located in the Küçükçekmece Lake basin in the Avcılar district of...

Gold glass ‘Roma’ unearthed in the excavations of the Rome subway

7 February 2023

7 February 2023

A very rare and refined piece of gold glass representing ‘Roma’, the woman symbol of the Eternal City, has been...

Ancient Sister Miners Discovered: Ritual Burial Reveals Hard Lives of Prehistoric Women

4 August 2025

4 August 2025

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in the Krumlov Forest is shedding new light on prehistoric life, revealing a startling glimpse into...

The new study presents evidence suggesting the use of threshing sledges in Neolithic Greece as early as 6500 BCE, about 3000 Years Earlier than Previously Thought

17 May 2024

17 May 2024

The threshing sledges, which until a few decades ago was used in many Mediterranean countries from Turkey to Spain to...

Remains of a Submerged Roman Harbor Discovered in Slovenia

7 March 2024

7 March 2024

Archaeologists from the Institute of Underwater Archaeology (ZAPA) have uncovered the remains of a submerged Roman harbor, off the coast...

Oldest footprints of pre-humans identified in Crete

11 October 2021

11 October 2021

Six million-year-old fossilized footprints on the island show the human foot had begun to develop. The oldest known footprints of...

Archaeologists find Viking Age shipyard in Swedish island

15 June 2022

15 June 2022

Archaeologists from Stockholm University have discovered a Viking Age shipyard at Birka on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren,...

7,000-year-old discovery in Umm Jirsan Cave

28 June 2021

28 June 2021

Archaeologists have made new discoveries in the Umm Jirsan cave in the Harrat Khaybar lava field in northern Saudi Arabia....

Riddle of Former Crater Lakes in the Highest Mountains of the Sahara Solved

18 August 2025

18 August 2025

An interdisciplinary research team, led by scientists from the Free University of Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology,...

Prehistoric Settlement Unearthed in Ogovo: Remarkable New Archaeological Discoveries in Belarus

14 August 2025

14 August 2025

Recent archaeological research in Belarus has unveiled insights into the country’s prehistoric past. A series of excavations and underwater studies,...