A team of researchers analyzing a 2,100-year-old burial pit in Mongolia has uncovered new details about the fate of Han soldiers stationed on the empire’s frontier. The study based on genetic, isotopic, and archaeological evidence, suggests that these men were not native to Mongolia but originated from northern China.
Their remains, found at the Bayanbulag site, paint a complex picture of war, migration, and possible execution during the Han-Xiongnu conflict.
Uncovering A Forgotten Battlefield
The Han-Xiongnu War was a prolonged struggle between the Han Empire and the Xiongnu confederation, a nomadic group that dominated the Mongolian steppes. The conflict shaped the military policies of ancient China, leading to the construction of fortifications and outposts along the northern frontier.
First identified in 1957, the Bayanbulag site remained relatively unexplored until major excavations in 2009. Archaeologists uncovered a fortified structure, along with iron tools, pottery, bronze crossbow locks, and a Han official’s clay seal. These findings suggested the site could be Shouxiangcheng, a military outpost built in 104 BC to manage relations with the Xiongnu.
Beneath these remnants of Han military presence lay a grim discovery—a mass grave containing more than 20 dismembered skeletons. Some of the remains showed signs of violence and execution, while others were found in a kneeling position, possibly indicating ritualized punishment.
Who Were These Soldiers?
To determine the origins of the individuals buried at the site, a team from Jilin University in China applied advanced bioarchaeological techniques, including DNA sequencing, strontium isotope analysis, and carbon isotope testing. Their results, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, provided key insights into the soldiers’ backgrounds.
- DNA analysis of 14 tooth samples confirmed that all individuals were male, with 11 of them sharing genetic traits with ancient and modern Han Chinese populations from northern China.
- Strontium isotope testing of their teeth revealed that they were not born in Mongolia but instead came from the Ordos Plateau and the Central Plains, regions under Han control.
- Stable carbon isotope data showed that their diet consisted mostly of millet and wheat, common staples of Han agricultural societies, rather than the meat and dairy-heavy diet of the Xiongnu nomads.
A Tragic Fate—battle Casualties Or Executions?
The evidence confirms their Han origin, but the circumstances of their deaths remain unclear. The discovery of dismembered limbs and kneeling skeletons raises the possibility that these men were executed captives, either at the hands of the Xiongnu or as part of an internal Han disciplinary measure.
One theory suggests that they were prisoners of war, captured and killed by the Xiongnu as a warning or ritual sacrifice. Another possibility is that they were Han soldiers punished by their own commanders, perhaps as a result of mutiny, desertion, or internal conflict within the outpost.
This study also provides insight into Han military strategy. Rather than seeking to permanently occupy Xiongnu lands, the Han Empire likely used temporary garrisons to assert control. Bayanbulag appears to have been one such strategic outpost, manned by Han troops deployed from rural China.
