1928,1022.5

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Ancient ruined town site situated between Charchan and Charkhlik, approximately 5 miles west of the Vashshahri river, on the southern arm of the Silk Road. Identified by Stein as the 'Xincheng' or New Town of the 'Tangshu'. Consisted of small dwellings of only one or two rooms made of sun-dried bricks separated by courses of clay. Stein also identified an ancient orchard and as possibly a place visited by Marco Polo" "Quitting Charchan you ride some five days through the sans, finding none by bad and bitter water, and then you come to a place where the water is sweet. And now I will tell you of a provin ce called Lop, in which there is a city, also called Lop, which you come to at the end of those five days. It is at the entrance of a great Desert, and it is here that travellers repose before entering the Desert.' (Quoted in Stein Serindia 308).

Excavation history : (Serindia map no. 53, B. 2, Innermost Asia map no. 26, C. 3)

Short description : Ancient settlement consisting of small dwellings.