Why is the ancient city of Loulan in ruins?

Lanzhou is the ancient capital of Loulan Kingdom, located in the eastern part of Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang, on the western edge of Lop Nur. It was once a famous trade transit point on the Silk Road. After centuries of prosperity, the ancient city gradually disappeared from the map.

After that, people only knew there was Loulan, but they didn't know where Loulan was.

1900 In March, Swedish geographical explorer Sven Haoting and Uyghur guide Ordik went to Lop Nur to look for the site of Guloulan. They accidentally discovered the ruins of the ancient city of Loulan.

The ancient city of Loulan is a square city with a side length of about 330 meters and an area of 108900 square meters. The surrounding city walls are about 4 meters high and 8 meters wide. There are three halls in the city, facing south, each hall is 90 ~ 100 square meters, all of which are wooden structures with red paint left on the wood, which shows the glory of that year. This is the residence of dignitaries in the ancient city.

Scientists also found a large number of cultural relics and a complete mummy in the ancient city.

Why did Loulan, a prosperous and developed ancient city in the past, end up so bleak?

Some scholars believe that this is because of the diversion of the Silk Road, people gradually walked out of Loulan and finally abandoned Loulan.

Some scholars believe that this is because of the fierce foreign war at that time, which led to the destruction of Loulan.

Now, more and more scholars believe that due to the deterioration of climate, the promotion of desert and the change of river course, the water source of Loulan ancient city has dried up, and Loulan people have to give up their beautiful homes and find new places to settle down.