Mysteria

Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan

Warring States to Ming·Qin/Han/Ming·🇨🇳 Beijing & Gansu, China

About

About Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan

Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan in Beijing & Gansu, China is a Warring States to Ming archaeological wonder attributed to Qin/Han/Ming culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 438). Archaeological complex featuring rock art / temples / earthworks typical of the period.

Why it mattersRepresentative Qin/Han/Ming site contributing to understanding of archaeological-wonder distribution.

Open questions

Mysteries & theories

Mysteries

  1. 01Function and sequencing of Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan within regional landscape
  2. 02Chronometric precision and construction organization without modern tools

Theories

  1. 01Regional ceremonial centre for Qin/Han/Ming communities
  2. 02Territorial marker and ancestral burial focus

Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.

History

How it came to be

Built
7th c BCE Warring States, 214 BCE Qin linking, current 625 km Ming 1368–1644
Period
Warring States to Ming
Culture
Qin/Han/Ming
Purpose
Ming Great Wall 8,850 km total: Badaling 12 m wall with 19 towers at 700 m, Jiayuguan Pass western terminus desert fort
Excavation
Partially excavated
  1. 7th c BCE Warring States, 214 BCE Qin linking, current 625 km Ming 1368–1644

    Initial construction

  2. c. 1047 CE

    Rediscovery

On the ground

Structures & features

40.4310° N · 116.0120° E · 700 m · 1 mapped feature

  • Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan — Main Feature

    structure

    Primary structure / enclosure at Great Wall at Badaling & Jiayuguan

    40.4320° N · 116.0130° E

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