The Visit to the Ancient Cities of Turkistan Buried Under Sand

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ÖZGÜN T. O.

BILIG, vol.98, pp.147-163, 2021 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 98
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.12995/bilig.9807
  • Journal Name: BILIG
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Index Islamicus, Linguistic Bibliography, Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.147-163
  • Keywords: Kashgar Khanate, Douglas Forsyth, ancient cities, East Turkestan, expedition
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In a period when cultural background and geographical characteristics of ancient Turkestan cities became a field of interest for the British, Douglas Forsyth and his team's journey to the East Turkestan in 1873, aside from its diplomatic and economic purpose, brought efforts to understand and explore Central Asia and East Turkestan more comprehensively. Thus, this visit was turned into a pursuit of cultural traces with the thought of old settlements buried under the sand with a mythical reputation and their sacred treasures. Relationship between the Yakub Beg, ruler of the East Turkestan, and British-Kashgar Khanate was lacking mutual trust during the period of the visit. Despite the inconvenient conditions, treasures and cultural traces gathered thanks to those expeditions carried out in Hotan and its vicinity, increased the academic interest towards the region.