Abstract
The so-called “Chinese pyramids” are huge burial mounds covering the tombs of the Emperors of the Western Han dynasty. If we include also the mounds of the members of the royal families, these monuments sum up to more than 40, scattered throughout the western and the southern outskirts of modern Xi’an. They are mostly unexcavated and poorly known, although taken together, they form a fascinating sacred landscape, which was conceived as a perennial witness of one of the most magnificent Chinese dynasties. This sacred landscape is today encroached by the frenetic urban development of the Xi’an urban area. We discuss and elaborate here some of the results of a recent, new satellite-imagery survey of these monuments, highlighting the aspects which may contribute to solutions for sustainable and compatible development within this important ancient landscape.
Highlights
The Western Han dynasty of ancient China (202 BC–9 AD) marked important political, economic, and scientific developments
The so-called “Chinese pyramids” are huge burial mounds covering the tombs of the Emperors of the Western Han dynasty
The Han rulers followed the custom initiated by the first emperor of Qin—whose mausoleum is world-famous due to the terracotta army guarding its eastern side—and chose to be buried in tombs located under huge square mounds of rammed earth, today known popularly as “Chinese pyramids” [1,2]
Summary
The Western Han dynasty of ancient China (202 BC–9 AD) marked important political, economic, and scientific developments. The Han rulers followed the custom initiated by the first emperor of Qin—whose mausoleum is world-famous due to the terracotta army guarding its eastern side—and chose to be buried in tombs located under huge square mounds of rammed earth, today known popularly as “Chinese pyramids” [1,2] These monuments are located in the outskirts of Xi’an (see Figure 1 for a general map of the area). This is due to various factors, but to pollution—which drastically reduces horizon visibility—and to the sheer difficulty of reaching some of the monuments and/or their tops For these reasons, I have personally visited many of them, I decided to carry out a new, complete survey using satellite imagery tools. I discuss and expand some of the results obtained, focusing on the problem of the sustainable development of this area so rich in cultural, almost unexplored relics
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