НЕКОТОРЫЕ РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ УЙГУРСКОЙ СТОЛИЦЫ ХАРА-БАЛГАСУН В 2010 ГОДУ

Abstract

The Mongolian-German Orkhon-Expedition (MONDOrEX) was created in summer 2007 as a close collaboration between the German Archeological Institute (DAI) and the Mongolian Academy of the Science. The key objective of the Orkhon-Expedition is the historical-archaeological research of the early-historical city settlements in the Orkhon Valley. The focus of the investigation is the early Uighur capital of Karabalgasun (Ordu Balik), the biggest medieval city in Eastern central Asia. The project “Orkhon Valley – Karabalgasun” has been sponsored by the Gerda-Henkel-Foundation since 2009 .

Targeted excavations in Karabalgasun supported from surveys, documentation and smaller excavations of early historical memorials between Harhorin and Ogii nuur have been been conducted in relation to settlement history and city development in the Orkhon Valley. In contrast to the height of the Uighur culture in East Turkistan (10th to 12th century), the archaeology of the Uighur in their Eastern homeland between the 8th and 9th centuries is mostly unknown. To bring light to the dark (from an archaeological stand point) early years of the Uighur culture, is an objective of the excavations in Karabalgasun. Another objective beside the complex documentation of this unique city settlement in Eastern Central Asia is to depict Karabalgasun as a model for the creation of a city in an early nomadic state that changed the Uighur culture and lifestyle permanently and profoundly: a nomadic people who developed into an urban people with dominant agrarian basis. This transformation provides one of the essential conditions for the survival of Uighur culture at its zenith in the later creation of the stable Uighur city-states in the oases of Eastern Turkestan.

A precise and relevant topographical basis before starting an excavation is essential to an urban-archeological research project in such an important city complex. An Airborne Laserscanning (ALS), aka LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), seemed to be the best method for the central Mongolian grass steppes. This most modern and efficient method and its results will be commented.

Based on the city plan of Karabalgasun, the excavations have focused on two smaller settled mounds inside of the so-called palatial or temple city as well as on excavating a bigger complex south of the large walled structure. The preliminary results of the archeological excavations in 2009 and 2010 will be introduced as well.