Khotan

Khotan or Hotan (Uyghur: خوتەن/Hotǝn; , formerly: ; ) is an oasis town and a prefecture in the Taklamakan desert that was part of the southern silk road. Two strong rivers provided the water that made this town inhabitable in the midst of the world's second largest desert. Presently located in the southern Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China, this ancient city has a rich history. It was once famous for its silk, jade and pottery.

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Today, however, this dusty Uighur town is off the beaten path. No longer the great trading city of the past, this town is now a large, if out of the way agricultural town. The population in 1999 was 86,019.

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The town lies just west of the White Jade River, named for the white jade that was recovered from its alluvial deposits. Most of the jade is now gone, but an occasional piece may still be found. The river still provides water and irrigation for the town though.

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Khotan is now famous for the discovery of caucasoid mummies, and are evidence of long term inhabitation of the area by the Tocharians. The desert atmosphere has preserved perishable items such as wood and fabric, attracting archaeologists. The area is rich in archaeological sites that are buried beneath the desert sand.

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Uyghur: The Uyghur (also called Uighur, Uygur, or Uigur) () are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group living in northwestern China (mainly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they are the largest ethnic group together with Han people), Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Russia. Another gr...

Oasis: :For other senses of this word, see oasis (disambiguation), and for the band, see Oasis (band)....

Taklamakan: The Taklamakan (also Taklimakan) is a desert of Central Asia, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Some references state that Taklamakan means "if you go in, you won't come out"; others state that it means "Desert of Death" or "Place of no return". ....