The Yanghai Tombs is the name of an enormous cemetery located near an oasis in the Turpan (or Turfan) Basin of western China, at the far eastern edge of the Steppe region of central Asia.
Location map of Turfan (Turpan) in central Asia. CIA World FactBook.
The dry climate of the region--places in the Turfan Basin reach 128 degrees Fahrenheit in some summers, with minimal rainfall--have created excellent preservation conditions for the cemetery. Mummies, bone tools, clothing, and plant remains have been preserved, some in astonishing condition.
Recent work reported in English from the Yanghai Tombs has reported information about the access these pastoral nomads had to plants all over the world--from cannabis to wine grapes to capers.
- Read more about Yanghai Tombs
- Guide to Steppe Societies
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