A ruined oasis lies in the heart of the Turpan Depression known in antiquity as Gaochang, a former Silk Road trading center. From the 4th century A.D. until it’s destruction in the 14th century, the town witnessed many events and gained wealth at its strategic locations. Thousands of their inhabitants were burried in a nearby cemetery known as the Astana Tombs. The extreme arid environment greatly preserved numerous of these tombs, making them a valuable peephole into the ancient history of Turpan.

The complex spans a large, flat area encompassing 10 square km, with many of the tombs accessed via passageways into rock-cut chambers. Murals, textiles, pottery and wooden caskets were discovered here. Coins, ranging from Byzantine to Chinese, gave evidence to the multicultural melting pot the Silk Roads created. People ranging from nobles to peasants all shared this space as a vast cemetery of this people.