The Wall: People and Ecology in Medieval Mongolia and China

The so-called “Great Wall of China” is often associated with the walls constructed during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), which have become one of the world’s most famous tourist sites. However, extensive systems of long walls, trenches, and associated forts and camps were built in China and Mongolia during various periods over the past 2,000 years. These wall systems, which in some cases exceed the length of the Ming Wall, do not follow the same routes and were constructed by different dynasties. Among the various phases of “Great Wall” construction, those built during the medieval period, from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries CE, are among the most enigmatic and least studied. Unlike many other phases of “Great Wall” construction, the lines of the Medieval Wall Systems (MWS), which stretch over more than 4,000 km, are located in some of the most remote regions of China, Mongolia, and Siberia. Historical information about them is scarce, but it is known that they were built by dynasties founded by different nomadic groups—the Kitan, Jurchen, and Tangut peoples—who established the Liao (916–1125), Jin (1115–1234), and Western Xia (1038–1227) dynasties and controlled vast territories in what is now Mongolia and China. Why such groups, for whom mobility was a core element of identity, constructed these barriers remains an enigma associated with the MWS.

 

Why were different lines of the Medieval Wall Systems (MWS) built in some of the world's most remote regions and in the harsh ecological zones of deserts and steppe? What were the intended functions of these systems? Were they military installations designed to stop invading armies? Surveillance systems constructed to maintain order in border regions and regulate relations with various nomadic tribes? Or were they civilian structures aimed at controlling the movement of pastoralists and their herds, as well as commercial activities between the empires and their neighbors? To address these questions, as well as to gain a better understanding of the structure of the different walls, the chronology of their construction and abandonment, and the lifeways of the people who built and maintained these extensive systems of walls, trenches, forts, garrisons, and other structures, we established The Wall: People and Ecology in Medieval China and Mongolia project. This multidisciplinary research integrates archaeological, historical, and ecological data to provide a comprehensive perspective on these enigmatic wall systems.

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This site presents the results of our research to both experts who wish to use our data for their own studies and the general public. Visitors can explore maps, photographs, and information about our archaeological field expeditions across three regions and three distinct wall lines: the Northern Line in Northeast Mongolia, North China, and Russia; the Mongolian Arc in eastern Mongolia; and the Gobi Wall in the Gobi Desert of southern Mongolia. Additionally, academic papers published by our team are available for download. Scholars interested in utilizing the data we have collected for their own research can access our Archaeological and Historical databases and search for specific types of data relevant to their work.