Located in the heart of Asia, the Uyghur people have a  rich and diverse history. Modern Uyghurs are believed to be the descendants of many empires and kingdoms that once thrived in the region. These include the Huns, Tocharians and Scythians, the Göktürks and, Orkhon Uyghur Khanate, the Idiqut and Qara-Khanids, Yarkand Khanate, Kansu Uyghur Kingdom, Khotan, Chaghatay, Kashgaria, Ili Sultanate and most recent two East Turkistan Republics.

The ethnonym “Uyghur” can be traced back to the ancient Uyghurs - one of the various Turkic tribes who built the Uyghur Khanate stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Mongolian Steppe in 744 AD.
Historical evidence indicates that some Uyghur ancestors inhabited the vicinity of the Taklamakan desert during the Bronze Age. For example, the fossilized  “Artush Man” was buried 17000 years ago, and he was a young Caucasian man.  The Beauty of Kroran, naturally mummified in the arid climate, is estimated to be buried around 4000 BCE in the City of Kroran near present-day Lop Nor. Similarly, the Cherchen Man, buried around 1000 BCE, exhibits distinct European facial features, reflecting the region’s diversity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCymjUnjcIg&t=244s