There Are Gaps In The Great Wall Of China, And Here Are The Possible Explanations Researchers Came Up With As To Why The Gaps Exist
The Great Wall of China is recognized as the largest construction project known to humankind. It is among the most popular structures in the world and is a major tourist destination.
Of course, this incredible feat of engineering has been studied extensively by experts over the years.
Now, for the first time ever, a team of researchers has identified several large gaps in a segment of the wall that stretches into Mongolia. Their investigation has helped them begin to decipher the purpose of that particular section of the structure.
The Great Wall is not actually a single wall. It is a series of fortifications extending thousands of miles that were built across what is now northern China and southern Mongolia.
The wall is also made up of watchtowers, army fortresses, and other defensive structures that were erected over the course of 2,000 years.
The oldest sections of the wall were constructed in the seventh century B.C. In the third century B.C., the first emperor of a united China, Qin Shi Huang, had separate walls connected to create a military defense system, and that was how the Great Wall began.
Its purpose was to act as a barrier, protecting the country against invasions from the north and preserving the culture from being tainted by foreigners.
Construction of the wall continued up until the Ming Dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. Most research focused on sections that were built during that time period.
However, the latest findings come from an analysis of the “Mongolian Arc,” a portion of the wall that is lesser known. It runs in a curved path for about 250 miles along the border of China and Mongolia.
SeanPavonePhoto – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Previously, the time of construction of the Mongolian Arc has been associated with the Jin Dynasty (1115 to 1234 B.C.), but this dating was never officially proven.
The Mongolian Arc belongs to a large length of wall called the “medieval wall system,” which was estimated to be built between the 11th and 13th centuries.
The system has been described as “one of the most enigmatic long wall and trench systems in the history of China and Mongolia.”
For a while, it was unclear when it was created, who built it, and why it was built. After examining the Mongolian Arc, researchers believe the array of walls that are part of the medieval wall system were assembled over a long period of time.
In order to study the Mongolian Arc more closely, the team gathered data from various satellite images of Soviet maps and Chinese atlases.
With the data, they created a comprehensive map of the Mongolian Arc. They also conducted a survey of the structure, where they discovered large gaps in some of the areas.
The gaps were not caused by natural elements, indicating that walls had never been built there at all.
While they have not yet been able to confirm the reasons for the gaps, the latest findings have led the team to a better understanding of the function of the Mongolian Arc. They have also come up with possible explanations for the gaps.
One theory was that the Mongolian Arc was built in a hurry during the last years of the Jin Dynasty as a way to ward off invaders from the north, which is why some parts remained unfinished.
However, they also found evidence that the Mongolian Arc may not have been designed for military purposes. Instead, it may have acted as a means of controlling the movement of people.
Further studies will allow the researchers to verify their speculations.
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