Li, Zehao;
(2025)
Walls across Eurasia: A Computational Comparative Study of Imperial Linear Defence Systems.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Text (Thesis Vol I)
Li_10203242__Thesis_Vol1.pdf Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 February 2026. Download (391MB) |
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Text (appendices vol II)
ZehaoLi_Vol2_Appendices.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 February 2026. Download (7MB) |
Abstract
A whole series of state and imperial linear defence systems appear across China, the Middle East and Europe during the 1st millennia BCE and CE. However, a suitable framework for systematically comparing these fortifications is still lacking, with existing research often providing only simplistic, general parallels without examining similarities and differences in sufficient detail. Thanks to recent fieldwork and the high quality of existing primary data, especially about Hadrian's Wall and the Qin-Han Walls in China, it is now possible to develop a fuller quantitative, spatial, computational and comparative study. This dissertation investigates the motivations and practical roles behind linear fortifications, evaluating their defensive capabilities, focusing on Hadrian's Wall and the Qin-Han Walls. It examines their locational principles, construction techniques, labour costs, wider imperial impacts, and other strategic considerations, situating them within broader military and strategic systems of the ancient world. By employing geomorphometric characterisation, spatial interaction modelling, and 3D labour cost estimates, this study offers a new perspective on these remarkable fortifications.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Walls across Eurasia: A Computational Comparative Study of Imperial Linear Defence Systems |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Institute of Archaeology |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10203242 |
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