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Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie orientale, 52, 2016, pp. 145-172

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sumed that the first flight of steps cut perpendicular into the facade, this 

was then followed by a landing and then another flight of steps parallel to 

the cliff façade. In this respect the internal stairway was much similar to 

other structures of the same type; what is unusual is the presence of large 

square postholes carved at a regular distance on the cliff, just below the 

level of the steps, as if to support a string-board. Their presence suggests 

that the internal stairway collapsed and was restored by carving postholes 

and inserting beams into them, while the opposite end was supported by a 

wooden structure. Once the springboards were secured, the wooden steps 

could be installed (Fig. 3). Following the collapse of the original internal 

stairway, the caves in such a high position on the cliff were kept in use by 

constructing an outer timber stairway, which rested against the cliff, as a 

replacement of the earlier stone carved one.

All of the internal stairways in District Six underwent repairs, although 

they were not as dramatic as those described in the case of the stairway 

leading to Caves 120-121. The soft mudstone of the steps evidently wore 

down easily and required regular up-keep. Small peg-holes were carved 

into the inner and out walls of the stairway on a line with the outer lip of 

each step. Rods were then inserted into these holes and a layer of gesso 

was then poured over the tread. The gesso is now lost, but these small 

peg holes present in all the internal stairways indicate that regular main-

tenance was taking place.

Before leaving this topic, the sheer amount of rock which had to be re-

moved in order to build an internal stairway needs to be considered. The 

volume of stone which need to be excavated was in some instances supe-

rior to that of the caves it served. The internal stairways required a great 

amount of labour. Extra labour would also have been required carve caves 

in the upper reaches of the cliff, I have suggested – relying also in a large 

set of other data – the following general rule for Qizil: the lower reaches 

and best part of the cliffs in Qizil were exploited first, while the upper 

sections of the cliffs – which required large amounts of extra work – were 

only used after the more convenient sections were fully used up. 

2.2  Repair and Renovation of Damaged Caves

All the caves have suffered a great deal of damage. A quick look at the cliffs 

where the caves were carved leaves no doubt about the degree of dete-

rioration suffered since the monastic period when the site was occupied. 

Larger or smaller collapses appear to have occurred throughout the period 

of occupation. Work would have been required following these collapses 

in order to keep the caves in use. In District Six repairs and renovations 

are so numerous that almost the whole range of restoration techniques 

employed in Kuča can be observed here. Caves of one type were often 

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Vignato. Qizil: an Interpretation of District Six, Caves 109-121 in Gunei

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transformed into other types of caves or caves that were added to preexist-

ing groups. Partly collapsed rock-carved antechambers were repaired by 

installing cantilevered timber structures. In terms of internal structures 

architectural elements within a cave could be modified by chiselling away 

or adding material; new plaster or successive coats of whitewash could 

also be applied. In the case of decorated caves they were often partially 

or completely repainted. The fact that the caves in District Six underwent 

heavy restoration demonstrates that the development of this district was 

not a straightforward process and what we see today is the result of a 

prolonged period of cave construction and restoration. The importance of 

making a precise distinction among elements of different periods present 

in a cave and the need to assign them to the period they belong to before 

undertaking any kind of specific studies of a cave cannot be over stated. 

Without this basic work, elements belonging to different periods are looked 

upon as contemporary which in turn undermines the research. 

Caves 110-111A being well preserved provides the clearest case study. 

As previously mentioned it was reached through an internal stairway and 

had a rock carved antechamber which was shared by all of the three 

caves that formed the group. A reconstruction of the doorway, its frame 

and of the internal stairway clearly indicates that the whole antechamber 

was completely carved out of the rock. We might safely assume that light 

entered through one or more windows carved in the front wall as in the 

case of the Five Joined Caves (68-72) in Qumtura, a clear example of such 

a solution. 

After their construction, the caves were used until the exterior section 

of the cliff collapsed, causing great damage to the front part of the ante-

chamber and exposing the stairway; at that point the three caves could 

no longer be safely used. A large repair was then undertaken with the aim 

of replacing the collapsed section of the rock carved antechamber with a 

cantilevered timber structure. Thirteen grooves were carved across the 

remaining sections of the floor. Robust joists were then inserted into the 

beams projecting outwards (presently circa 90 cm long in front of Cave 110 

and circa 170 cm in front of Cave 111). Smaller holes carved just below 

the ceiling on the main wall held rafters (12 postholes in front of Cave 110 

and 7 in front of Cave 111). Once joists and rafters were in place and con-

nected by verticals posts, they formed a solid timber structure imbedded 

into the rock, which was further stabilized by wooden planks fastened onto 

joists to form the floor, while railings inserted between the vertical posts 

ensured safety. A roof protected from the elements as well as from the 

inevitable falling rocks. The exposed stairway was considered sufficiently 

safe, in spite of the missing outer wall, and so was not restored. Indeed, 

it remained in use until a decade ago (Fig. 9). 

Similar repairs of collapsed antechambers are numerous and show that 

it was a common practice to bring damaged caves back into use. For ex-

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