Exploring the Gobi Wall: Archaeology of a Large-Scale Medieval Frontier System in the Mongolian Desert

Dan Golan, Gideon Shelach-Lavi (), Chunag Amartuvshin, Zhidong Zhang, Ido Wachtel, Jingchao Chen, Gantumur Angaragdulguun, Itay Lubel, Dor Heimberg, Mark Cavanagh, Micka Ullman and William Honeychurch
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Dan Golan: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Gideon Shelach-Lavi: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Chunag Amartuvshin: Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia
Zhidong Zhang: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Ido Wachtel: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Jingchao Chen: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Gantumur Angaragdulguun: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Itay Lubel: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Dor Heimberg: Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
Mark Cavanagh: Institute of Archaeology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6139001, Israel
Micka Ullman: Institute of Archaeology, Haifa University, Haifa 3103301, Israel
William Honeychurch: Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-35

Abstract: The Gobi Wall is a 321 km-long structure made of earth, stone, and wood, located in the Gobi highland desert of Mongolia. It is the least understood section of the medieval wall system that extends from China into Mongolia. This study aims to determine its builders, purpose, and chronology. Additionally, we seek to better understand the ecological implications of constructing such an extensive system of walls, trenches, garrisons, and fortresses in the remote and harsh environment of the Gobi Desert. Our field expedition combined remote sensing, pedestrian surveys, and targeted excavations at key sites. The results indicate that the garrison walls and main long wall were primarily constructed using rammed earth, with wood and stone reinforcements. Excavations of garrisons uncovered evidence of long-term occupation, including artifacts spanning from 2nd c. BCE to 19th c. CE. According to our findings, the main construction and usage phase of the wall and its associated structures occurred throughout the Xi Xia dynasty (1038–1227 CE), a period characterized by advanced frontier defense systems and significant geopolitical shifts. This study challenges the perception of such structures as being purely defensive, revealing the Gobi Wall’s multifunctional role as an imperial tool for demarcating boundaries, managing populations and resources, and consolidating territorial control. Furthermore, our spatial and ecological analysis demonstrates that the distribution of local resources, such as water and wood, was critical in determining the route of the wall and the placement of associated garrisons and forts. Other geographic factors, including the location of mountain passes and the spread of sand dunes, were strategically utilized to enhance the effectiveness of the wall system. The results of this study reshape our understanding of medieval Inner Asian imperial infrastructure and its lasting impact on geopolitical landscapes. By integrating historical and archeological evidence with geographical analysis of the locations of garrisons and fortifications, we underscore the Xi Xia kingdom’s strategic emphasis on regulating trade, securing transportation routes, and monitoring frontier movement.

Keywords: Gobi Desert; Mongolia; Gobi Wall; Tangut; Xi Xia; Western Xia; medieval wall system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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