Archaeologists in Mongolia have investigated a huge, almost forgotten earth wall that was apparently built in a hurry centuries ago. It has strange, rectangular formations and kilometre-long gaps.
A section of the Great Wall of China that extends into Mongolia has been analysed for the first time, allowing researchers to present some speculative insights into the history and function of this enormous structure. Spread over 405 kilometres (252 miles), the wall has been dubbed the "Mongolian Arc" due to its curved trajectory.
The researchers said this first-time discovery not only reveals the significance of this ancient architectural marvel, but also prompts crucial questions about the motives, functionality, and broader implications of such colossal constructions. Their findings contribute to a larger multidisciplinary project, exploring historical wall systems and their sociopolitical, economic, and environmental impacts, marking a pivotal milestone in understanding ancient civilizations and their enduring legacies.
According to the archaeologists, it seems relatively certain that the earthen wall was probably built in a hurry during the Jin Dynasty as protection against invading Mongols.
"Despite its size, the Mongolian arc has been largely overlooked in academic discourse," the study states.
This paper explores, for the first time, a 405 km long wall system located in eastern Mongolia: the “Mongolian Arc” consists of an earthen wall, a trench, and 34 structures. It is part of a much larger system of walls built between the 11th and 13th centuries a.d. The Mongolian Arc, despite its magnitude, has been largely overlooked in existing academic discourse. Our team collected remote sensing data of different types and conducted an archaeological field survey of the entire Mongolian Arc. The different datasets obtained in the lab and the field were analyzed using a geographic information system (GIS). These results were integrated with excerpts from relevant primary sources to provide a preliminary interpretation of the design and potential functions of the Mongolian Arc. Key areas of exploration include the idiosyncratic gaps along the wall, the spatial organization of the wall and structures, and their interrelationship with the adjacent landscape.
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