Archeological site of Kumtura

We invite Cluster members to a 14-day expedition to major sites of the Silk Road in the Xinjiang region in Western China that are difficult to access for individual scholars without special ties to the region. The trip includes the important sites of Dunhuang, the Turfan Oasis, Kucha, and the regional capital of Urumqi with its famous museum collection. In Beijing, the group will also be able to visit two important collections of Eurasian heritage. The expedition is organized and led by Melanie Malzahn, Hannes Fellner, Tijana Krstic, Claudia Rapp, and Robert Rollinger.

The trip itself will be flanked by a preparatory workshop and lectures to familiarize participants with the region and its history, and to set individual research goals; after-workshop(s) will be designed to discuss the impact of the trip and design potential research outcomes.

The expedition will also be part of a PhD seminar at the University of Vienna, open to PhD students from all CoE institutions, and a Seminar within the Curriculum of the MA Indo-European Studies and Historical Linguistics at the Department of Linguistics specializing in ancient Turfan languages. PhD and MA Students will be expected to write seminar papers related to the ancient sites or a cultural heritage aspect.

Archeological site in Kizil

Funding

Successfully selected cluster members will receive funding from the cluster which will cover the whole costs on the sites, including:

  • 13 nights in 4-star hotels with breakfast
  • Daily lunch and dinner in the hotel restaurant
  • Round trips, transfers
  • Local flights Beijing/Dunhuang, Kucha/Kashgar/Ürümqi/Beijing in economy class
  • Rail travel Liuyuan-Turfan (first class)-Turfan-Kucha (soft sleeper)
  • Entrance tickets according to program and local guides

Excluded from funding by the cluster is the international flight to and from Beijing which ought to be covered by all participants individually.

Application for funding

If you wish to participate, kindly submit a letter of intent to Melanie Malzahn melanie.malzahn(at)univie.ac.at and Jeanette Kilicci  jeanette.kilicci(at)univie.ac.at no later than September 14, 2025.

In this letter, please outline your research interests for the region and your commitment to covering the international flight to and from Beijing.

Successful applicants will be notified by September 30 at the latest.

If you are interested in joining the group with your own funding, please also contact us as well!

The round trip will amount to approx. 3000,- Euros per person excluding the international flight.

    Artificial Camel Caravan at Urumqi airport
    Singing Sand Dunes at Dunhuang
    Indoor view of Dunhuang Town Museum

    Time line and travel plan

    • Q4 2025: Preparatory online meeting(s)

    • March 2026: Preparatory workshops and lectures

    01.04.2026Arrival at Beijing
    Visit of National Cultural palace
    02.04.2026Beijing
    Visit of Forbidden City and National Museum
    03.04.2026Beijing-Dunhuang
    04.04.2026Dunhuang
    Visit Mogao Caves and Singing Sand Dunes
    05.04.2026Dunhuang
    Yadan National Park and Yumen Pass (Jade Gate)
    06.04.2026Dunhuang-Liuyuan-Turfan
    City Museum of Liuyuan and train journey to Turfan 
    07.04.2026Turfan
    Visit Bezeklik Caves, Astana tombs, Jiaoha Ancient City, Kariz Irrigation System
    08.04.2026Turfan-Kucha
    Visit Sugong Pagode, train travel to Kucha
    09.04.2026Kucha
    Visit Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves
    10.04.2026Kucha
    Visit Kumtura Thousand Buddha Caves and town museum
    11.04.2026Travel to Urumqi
    Visit of Museum
    12.04.2026Flight Urumqi-Beijing
    13.04.2026City Walk with Hutong tour, transfer to airport
    14.04.2026Departure in the early morning

    • Post-expedition discussion workshop(s) May (and / or June) 2026

    • including follow-up workshop in Node 2 to prepare a CoE work package on multicultural hotspots in peripheral locations (such as Dunhuang and Mediterranean sites)

    Application for funding

    If you wish to participate, kindly submit a letter of intent to Melanie Malzahnmelanie.malzahn(at)univie.ac.at and Jeanette Kiliccijeanette.kilicci(at)univie.ac.at no later than September 14, 2025.