Date:

Archaeologists Discover the Lost Dragon City, Capital of Xiongnu Empire

Archaeologists conducting excavations in central Mongolia along the Orkhon River believe they have discovered the “Dragon City” of Luut/Luncheng, the Xiongnu/Khunnu capital.

The Xiongnu were a tribal confederation that inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. The ruler of the Xiongnu was called the Chanyu, who exercised direct authority over the central territory from Luncheng. Their relations with adjacent Chinese dynasties to the south-east were complex, with repeated periods of conflict and intrigue, alternating with exchanges of tribute, trade, and marriage treaties.

- Advertisement -

Excavations financed by the Ulaanbaatar State University in the Ulziit district of Arkhangai province first made the discovery in 2017, but details of the findings have only now been published in local media.

Image Credit : Iderkhangai Tumur-Ochir

Iderkhangai Tumur-Ochir, leader of the archaeological research team from Ulaanbaatar State University said: “The city is believed to have originated in the Khangai Mountains of Mongolia, according to ancient sources.”

The researchers revealed that the city has a double wall and a man-made pool used for water management or a reservoir. Excavations found the remains of a structure that was decorated with an ancient kanji inscription stating, “Son of Heaven” which is the first evidence found within the region to suggest the site is the Dragon City of Luncheng.

Iderkhangai told Xinhua “”As a result of more than a decade of research on the political centre of the Xiongnu Empire, I am very happy that we have discovered and excavated the empire’s capital Dragon City or Luncheng City”

- Advertisement -

Header Image Credit : Iderkhangai Tumur-Ochir

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

3,800-year-old warrior’s tomb found intact

Archaeologists in Azerbaijan have found an intact kurgan, an ancient burial mound dating back nearly 3,800 years during the Middle Bronze Age.

Ancient settlement provides new evidence on Roman transition

Archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology have uncovered the remains of a substantial rural settlement in Fordingbridge, England, dating back to the Late Iron Age and continuing into the Roman period.

“City of Queens” turbulent history revealed in new archaeological study

Archaeologists have been conducting an in-depth study of Veszprém’s historic Castle District, revealing the turbulent history that shaped the “City of Queens.”

Trove of medieval treasures unearthed in Oslo

Archaeologists have unearthed a trove of nearly 3,000 medieval objects in Oslo’s port district of Bjørvika, Norway.

Archaeologists find tomb of Caracol’s first ruler

After more than four decades of excavations at the Maya city of Caracol, University of Houston archaeologists Arlen and Diane Chase have uncovered the long-lost tomb of Te K’ab Chaak, the city's founding ruler.

Carved human face found in Polish lake

Archaeologists from the Nicolaus Copernicus University (NCU) have made the remarkable discovery of a carved wooden beam in the waters of Lake Lednica, located between Poznań and Gniezno in west-central Poland.

Crystalline arrowhead among new discoveries at Hedkammen

Archaeologists from Arkeologerna have uncovered a crystalline arrowhead crafted from quartzite during excavations south of Skellefteå in northern Sweden.

Lost medieval town rediscovered

Archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) have uncovered physical remains of the lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen in Hamar, Norway.