Astana Ancient Tombs: General Introduction
The Astana Ancient Tombs were the public cemetery of the ancient Gaochang residents. The tombs are located 42kmsoutheast of Turpan and 6km from the ancient city of Gaochang. There are 456 tombs together in the tomb complex, including the tombs of Han people, Turkic people, Huns and other minority groups. Usually, the grave chamber is above 2 meters high with either a flat ceiling or a dome. The dead are placed on the bed in the back of the chamber. The mortuary objects include miniature pavilions, carts and horses, parades, musical instruments, chess sets, pens and ink, fruits etc. which would be used by the dead in another world. Some chambers also have frescos on the back walls. The content concerns figures, birds, flowers and landscapes. The Astana Ancient Tombs contains over 10,000 precious cultural and historical collections. The mummies excavated here can compare favorably with Egyptian mummies both in quality and quantity.
Astana Ancient Tombs Travel Tips
Admission Fee: CNY20