- Juyan Lake Basin
The Juyan Lake (Zh-cw|c=居延海|w=Chüyen Hai; Mongolian: Gaxun Nuur, Goshun Nur for western lake, Sogo Nur for eastern lake) is a former lake in the
Gobi desert of westernInner Mongolia at theAlxa League near the border of easternXinjiang . Goshun Nur had an area of 267km² in 1958, of 213km² in 1960, and has dried up in 1961.The Juyan Lake basin is a rare wetland located and covers an area of about 10,000
km² . The Juyan lake is one of three former terminal lakes located at the outer edges of the Hei River (Black River) catchment which formed a large inland delta between theQilian and the Gobi Altay.The basin's boundary is formed by the
Mazong Shan mountains to the west, theHeli Shan andLongshou Shan mountains to the south, theHelan Shan andLang Shan ranges to the east and the MongolianGobi Altay range to the north.History
The basin played an important role in ancient times and was historically part of the
Gansu Corridor between the2nd century BC to8th century AD . The Juyan Lake Basin lies along the route of theNorthern Silk Road , which is about 2600 kilometres in length, connecting the ancient Chinese capital ofXian to the west over the Pamir Mountains to emerge inKashgar before linking to ancientParthia . According to C.Michael Hogan, this route greatly expanded in its usage after theHan Dynasty pushed back the northern tribes in the latter part of the first millenniumBC .References
*Wünnemann, B., Hartmann, K. (2002), "Morphodynamics and Paleohydrography of the Gaxun Nur Basin, Inner Mongolia, China" in: Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, vol. 126, pp. 147-168.
* [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18006 C.Michael Hogan, "Silk Road, North China", Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham]External links
* [http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/inqu/finalprogram/abstract_54297.htm Paleoenvironment in the lower reaches of Hei River and Juyan Lake]
* [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1744-7909.2005.00190.x Lake Level Changes Recorded by Tree Rings of Lakeshore Shrubs]
* [http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_33524.htm Juyan Site]
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