Investigation of textiles and skins from the Keriya Valley (Xinjiang/China).
The project involves several Keriya Valley settlements and is led by Prof. Dr. Corinne Debaine-Francfort (CNRS/ArScAn). In one site, Djoumbulak Koum, the settlement and three cemeteries were excavated. Five well-preserved mummies were brought from the desert to Urumqi in an elaborate transport, along with many textiles from other graves and from the settlement. They are dated 700-300 BC. The people were cattle breeders and cultivated plants in the oasis, which was still habitable at that time. They were not Han Chinese.
The textiles and skins of the clothing are a very important part of the finds; they are still in good condition thanks to the dry preservation. Colours and decorations are largely well visible. The evaluation will provide information about the selection and processing of the raw material for the fabrics, the weaving techniques and about the different animal species in the skins.
