Astana Cemetery

The Astana Tombs (Chinese阿斯塔 那 古墓 群, Pinyin Āsītǎnà gǔmùqún, English Astana Graves, the Chinese also briefly阿斯塔 那 墓群, Asitana Muqun called ) lying on the territory of the city of Turfan, about 30 km east-southeast Turfan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous in today's China.

There were 273-778 for the inhabitants of Gaochang, the burial sites, ie in the time of the Western Jin to the Tang Dynasty. Ordinary citizens to high officials were buried here. The complex comprises 10 square kilometers and contains more than 1,000 graves. Since 1959, about 400 tombs have been excavated. The tombs are located in the northern neighborhood of the ruined city of Gaochang - the capital of the former kingdom.

English ( Aurel Stein ), Russian (Peter Koslow ), German ( Albert von Le Coq ) and Japanese research expeditions ( Tachibana Zuichō ) found here in abundance souvenirs.

The site is known for its well-preserved due to the low humidity mummies and grave goods - including particularly the textiles and over 2,000 text finds - famous. Even for the most well preserved, decorated in many ways pastry ( huashi gaodian ) and other pasta (Ch nang and jiaozi ) from the time of the Tang Dynasty.

Since 1988, the site is on the list of monuments of the People's Republic of China ( 3-241 ).