The nature of economies and the movement of agricultural crops across Eurasia in the Bronze Age h... more The nature of economies and the movement of agricultural crops across Eurasia in the Bronze Age have been the subject of significant research interest in recent years. This study presents and discusses new results of flotation, radiocarbon and carbon stable isotope analyses from the seed assemblage at the Adunqiaolu site (northwestern Xinjiang), in combination with archaeological evidence. Archaeobotanical evidence, including carbonized foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, and naked barley, documents the diversity of local cereal consumption during the mid-second millennium BC. Our results suggest that crops were not grown locally, however, but in the lower Boertala Valley, supporting the argument that Adunqiaolu was a winter camp. These new sets of data constitute an important contribution to the discussion on cereal dispersal across the Tianshan Mountains in the Bronze Age.
Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Ag... more Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Age culture in northern Xinjiang. Burial practices and grave goods show important connections to the Eurasian steppes. The sites have never been fully published and there has been much speculation about the exact nature of the Qiemu'erqieke finds. This paper sets out a highly detailed re-analysis of the available data and presents some new perspectives on the sites, their chronology and external parallels.
The relationships between societal and environmental changes have long attracted strong interest ... more The relationships between societal and environmental changes have long attracted strong interest amongst scientists. Each of these systems has their own internal dynamics such as the adaptability and social systems built by people; and the feedbacks and controls on environmental systems. North west Xinjiang presents a challenging topographic and climate setting for people. Yet existing evidence shows Bronze Age populations settled into the Bortala Valley as early as the third millennium BCE. The harshness of the region provides a test case for exploring how environmental changes and societal changes may have intertwined. Near the town of Wenquan there is an extensive wetland which contains a sedimentary record covering the last 10,400 years. The early to mid-Holocene is marked by desert and a lake at Wenquan, but there is little evidence for human activity. By 4500 cal year BP the climate became more humid and soon peak humidity occurred when a regional steppe was developed and smal...
ABSTRACT Previous geochemical studies of volcanic glass artifacts dating to the Late Palaeolithic... more ABSTRACT Previous geochemical studies of volcanic glass artifacts dating to the Late Palaeolithic in northeast Asia have revealed a wide distribution of artifacts from sources in China, Korea, and Far East Russia. Through an analysis of lithic technology, this study sheds new light on the variety and complexity of the social, technological, and landscape factors that shaped the long distance movement of stone artifacts.
Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Ag... more Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Age culture in northern Xinjiang. Burial practices and grave goods show important connections to the Eurasian steppes. The sites have never been fully published and there has been much speculation about the exact nature of the Qiemu'erqieke finds. This paper sets out a highly detailed re-analysis of the available data and presents some new perspectives on the sites, their chronology and external parallels.
Recent studies have highlighted the long-distance transport of obsidian from the Paektusan (Tianc... more Recent studies have highlighted the long-distance transport of obsidian from the Paektusan (Tianchi or Baitoushan in Chinese) volcano on the border between China and North Korea to eastern Russia and Korea, but little is known about the role of the local population in the production and movement or exchange of this important raw material. This paper addresses this data lacuna
The nature of economies and the movement of agricultural crops across Eurasia in the Bronze Age h... more The nature of economies and the movement of agricultural crops across Eurasia in the Bronze Age have been the subject of significant research interest in recent years. This study presents and discusses new results of flotation, radiocarbon and carbon stable isotope analyses from the seed assemblage at the Adunqiaolu site (northwestern Xinjiang), in combination with archaeological evidence. Archaeobotanical evidence, including carbonized foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, and naked barley, documents the diversity of local cereal consumption during the mid-second millennium BC. Our results suggest that crops were not grown locally, however, but in the lower Boertala Valley, supporting the argument that Adunqiaolu was a winter camp. These new sets of data constitute an important contribution to the discussion on cereal dispersal across the Tianshan Mountains in the Bronze Age.
Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Ag... more Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Age culture in northern Xinjiang. Burial practices and grave goods show important connections to the Eurasian steppes. The sites have never been fully published and there has been much speculation about the exact nature of the Qiemu'erqieke finds. This paper sets out a highly detailed re-analysis of the available data and presents some new perspectives on the sites, their chronology and external parallels.
The relationships between societal and environmental changes have long attracted strong interest ... more The relationships between societal and environmental changes have long attracted strong interest amongst scientists. Each of these systems has their own internal dynamics such as the adaptability and social systems built by people; and the feedbacks and controls on environmental systems. North west Xinjiang presents a challenging topographic and climate setting for people. Yet existing evidence shows Bronze Age populations settled into the Bortala Valley as early as the third millennium BCE. The harshness of the region provides a test case for exploring how environmental changes and societal changes may have intertwined. Near the town of Wenquan there is an extensive wetland which contains a sedimentary record covering the last 10,400 years. The early to mid-Holocene is marked by desert and a lake at Wenquan, but there is little evidence for human activity. By 4500 cal year BP the climate became more humid and soon peak humidity occurred when a regional steppe was developed and smal...
ABSTRACT Previous geochemical studies of volcanic glass artifacts dating to the Late Palaeolithic... more ABSTRACT Previous geochemical studies of volcanic glass artifacts dating to the Late Palaeolithic in northeast Asia have revealed a wide distribution of artifacts from sources in China, Korea, and Far East Russia. Through an analysis of lithic technology, this study sheds new light on the variety and complexity of the social, technological, and landscape factors that shaped the long distance movement of stone artifacts.
Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Ag... more Excavation of the Qiemu'erqieke cemeteries in the 1960s revealed the earliest known Bronze Age culture in northern Xinjiang. Burial practices and grave goods show important connections to the Eurasian steppes. The sites have never been fully published and there has been much speculation about the exact nature of the Qiemu'erqieke finds. This paper sets out a highly detailed re-analysis of the available data and presents some new perspectives on the sites, their chronology and external parallels.
Recent studies have highlighted the long-distance transport of obsidian from the Paektusan (Tianc... more Recent studies have highlighted the long-distance transport of obsidian from the Paektusan (Tianchi or Baitoushan in Chinese) volcano on the border between China and North Korea to eastern Russia and Korea, but little is known about the role of the local population in the production and movement or exchange of this important raw material. This paper addresses this data lacuna
This paper presents compositional results for six faience beads from Adunqiaolu, an Early Bronze ... more This paper presents compositional results for six faience beads from Adunqiaolu, an Early Bronze Age site in western Xinjiang, China. It is shown that all analysed samples were made of mixed-alkali flux with sodium oxide 8-10% and potassium oxide 5-9%. The microstructure of samples indicates that cementation glazing was used. The analytical results, together with the typology of the faience beads were then compared with data of Bronze Age faience beads found in Europe and East Asia. There are clear similarities in both typological and technological features. As the earliest faience objects discovered in China so far, the Adunqiaolu beads set an essential starting point for the further discussion on the early exchange network evidenced by faience products and long distance transmission of technologies and knowledge. This observation is of significance for deepening our understanding of prehistoric exchange between West and East across the Eurasian continent by providing another element in addition to metallurgy, cereal crops and herding animals.
The Cultures of Ancient Xinjiang, Western China: Crossroads of the Silk Roads, 2019
Title page and sample text of new volume on the archaeology of Xinjiang, including important work... more Title page and sample text of new volume on the archaeology of Xinjiang, including important work by Chinese and Western scholars on the prehistoric periods of this key region of Inner Asia
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