Loulan

Loulan stood near Lop Nur at the eastern entrance to the Tarim Basin. Here roads from Dunhuang divided, one turning toward the northern oases and another toward the southern edge of the desert. The ancient kingdom, later known as Shanshan, was contested by the Han and the Xiongnu for control of these routes. Its settlement depended on the shifting waters of the Tarim and the lake.

As river channels changed and water receded, the old city was abandoned. Its earthen walls, stupa and wooden structures remained amid wind-eroded mounds and sand. Documents preserved in the dry ground record officials, soldiers and everyday affairs at a place where languages and goods passed between China and Inner Asia. Long after its inhabitants departed, the ruins marked the course of a once important road through the desert.