Three bespoke vehicles designed for molecular archaeology are set to join a team from Fudan University to conduct fieldwork across the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region from this month to October. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A molecular archaeology team from Fudan University in Shanghai is set to conduct fieldwork on a number of key archaeological sites across the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region from this month to October, the university said on Thursday.
The announcement was made as the university and Karamay in Xinjiang launched an archaeology project on the ancient Silk Road heritage with Karamay. Aiming to integrate scientific research and cultural outreach, the project came as a result of the collaboration between the two sides.
The two jointly established the Кагаmay Silk Road Digital Economy and Industrial Integration Innovation Research Center last August. The center prioritizes the development of digital cultural tourism in the first phase, which aims to research on Xinjiang's evolution of human history, explore the integration of digital economy, develop and promote the growth of local cultural tourism.
After one-year preparation, the project will integrate multidisciplinary expertise from archaeology, genetics, history and computer science, as well as utilize advanced technologies to scientifically reconstruct the physical characteristics, social structures and cultural interaction patterns of ancient populations along the ancient Silk Road.
Three bespoke vehicles will also join the investigation team. Equipped comprehensively with diverse professional and high-end devices such as sequencers and CT scanners, they are more like mobile labs for molecular archaeology, and can support the team members to carry out timely and efficient on-site research and analysis.
By eliminating the gap between labs and fieldwork, we are able to facilitate immediate coordination and effective resolution, Wen Shaoqing, associate professor of the Institute for Archaeological Science at Fudan University, said. The project's first phase focuses on Xinjiang, with plans to expand across the entire Silk Road within three to five years.
Beyond research, an eight-episode reality show and a documentary in collaboration with director Fang Li will be produced to boost Xinjiang's tourism and cultural identity. This scientific expedition is not only a retrospective of history but also a vision for the future.
Zhang Wenjun contributed to this story.
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Source: China Daily
Writer: WANG Xin
