New finds in Xinjiang shed light on early defence strategy

Some intriguing historical finds now. A group of stone tombs found under rubble in the north west of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are remembered as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of 2012. More mystery is unfolding however as archaeologists continue to explore and research in and around the area.

This scattered rubble within the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture had the eyes of the archaeological world on it last year. Dozens of stone tombs and sites believed to be for sacrificial rituals were found in the area. The ancient remains date from around four thousand years ago and are believed to be the first batch of archaeological finds from the Bronze Age in Xinjiang.

Archaeologists have recently also found three connected houses in the upper terrain of the area and have concluded they probably served as watch houses in the early Bronze Age.

Cong Demin, research, said, "Where I’m standing is 1800 meters above sea level. You can see this is a great vantage point, so it holds a strategic significance. It would lend itself to being a watch tower location."... english.cntv.cn/