Historic cave town

The Magao caves are listed as a UNESCO's World Heritage site (Photo: Yáo Zǐyuān)

We are going caving for today’s Geo Quiz. We are looking for a town in northwestern China on the edge of the Gobi desert. This place was once an oasis on the ancient Silk Road, where wealthy traders would sponsor the painting of Buddhist murals in caves. Pilgrims and monks would come to the caves to pay homage. This practice continued for a thousand years until the caves were walled up and eventually forgotten.

So which place are we talking about?

The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is Dunhuang in the province of Gansu. Nearby are the ancient Mogao caves. These caves feature elaborate Buddhist murals and sculptures, hidden for centuries. In the early 20th century they were rediscovered and European adventurers makde off with chunks of the art and hundreds of sacred scrolls stored in the caves As The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports, now there is a new threat to the caves.

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