Longcheng, Mongolia
Luut | |
 150 BCE map of the Xiongnu Empire | |
 .svg.png){kind=icon} Longcheng Location of Longcheng in Mongolia | |
| Alternative name | Dragon City |
|---|---|
| Location | Arkhangai Province,  Mongolia |
| Region | Ulzitt District |
| Coordinates | 48°06′11″N 102°33′38″E / 48.1030°N 102.5606°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Part of | Xiongnu Empire |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 18 July 2020 |
| Archaeologists | Tumur-Ochir Iderkhangai |
Longcheng, also called Lungcheng, Luut, or Dragon City, was an ancient city of the Xiongnu Empire (c.300 BCE–200 AD) in modern-day Mongolia. The site was discovered by Mongolian archaeologists in 2017, near Ulziit District in Arkhangai Province. It served as the empire's meeting place and de facto capital.[1] This site was not permanent, rather, it was a seasonal or temporary place for high-ranking people in the empire to gather.[2]
Discovery
Although Longcheng was discovered some time in 2017, the archaeological site was excavated around 18 July 2020 following financial burdens which delayed further inquiry. When it was inspected, a roof inscription in an archaic Chinese language was revealed, translating to 'Son of Heaven Chanyu', the first time this text was found on any physical object in Mongolia.[3][2]
References
- ^ Yü, Ying-shih (1986). "Han Foreign Relations". The Cambridge History of China, Volume 1: The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 BC – AD 220. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-521-24327-8.
- ^ a b Bower, Bruce (2 July 2023). "How Asia's first nomadic empire broke the rules of imperial expansion". Science News. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ "Archeologists discover capital of Xiongnu Empire in central Mongolia". AKI Press. Retrieved 29 August 2025.