Assessing Looting from Space: The Destruction of Early Iron Age Burials in Northern Xinjiang

Gino Caspari

doi:10.3390/heritage1020021

Abstract

Burial mounds (kurgans) of the Early Iron Age in the steppe zones of Central Asia have long been the target of severe looting activities. Protection of these monuments in remote areas is difficult since accurate mapping is rarely available. We map an area in northern Xinjiang using a combination of high-resolution optical data and on-ground survey to establish a quantitative and qualitative assessment of looting. We find that at least 74.5% of burial mounds are looted or otherwise destroyed. Due to the large number of visibly impacted burial mounds, it becomes clear that the bulk of cultural heritage of the Early Iron Age in this area is under threat. The looting, however, continues until present day. Rescue excavation of potentially untouched burials in the area is advisable.

Highlights

The Early Iron Age in the eastern Eurasian steppe zone saw a steep rise in anthropogenic activity connected with the emergence of fully nomadic societies and the so-called “Scythian” material culture in the first millennium BCE [1]
This development led to the construction of thousands of burial mounds throughout the steppes in which the dead were entombed, together with a rich assemblage of items encompassing weapons, horse gear, and objects decorated in the early nomadic animal style [2,3]
We identified a total number of 188 burial mounds potentially belonging to the Early Iron Age

Summary

Introduction

The Early Iron Age in the eastern Eurasian steppe zone saw a steep rise in anthropogenic activity connected with the emergence of fully nomadic societies and the so-called “Scythian” material culture in the first millennium BCE [1]. This development led to the construction of thousands of burial mounds (kurgans) throughout the steppes in which the dead were entombed, together with a rich assemblage of items encompassing weapons, horse gear, and objects decorated in the early nomadic animal style [2,3]. Looting remains a known and widespread problem in northwestern China to this day [6], and despite harsh punishments, the illegal excavations continue, feeding a growing domestic market for antiquities

Results

Discussion

Conclusion