One of the main challenges to productive archaeological investigations of the peoples, practices,... more One of the main challenges to productive archaeological investigations of the peoples, practices, and politics associated with the Xiongnu phenomenon is to surpass multidisciplinary studies and develop truly inter-disciplinary investigations. Sources of different forms or of different
social lives may be analyzed separately but require a common research goal within which to frame these independent analyses so that they may be productively synthesized. This requires an integrative approach at the outset of investigation, and one which would likely lead to research outcomes that would not have been possible through any one discipline or resource. While the current state of research in the field of what might be broadly termed “Xiongnu studies” is certainly multidisciplinary – as one may easily ascertain by the wide range of contributions
in this volume – our understanding of the Xiongnu steppe polity and its constituents is only in the nascent stages of being pursued via truly inter-disciplinary investigations. The goal of this book is thus to present a comprehensive collection of the different agendas and methods of scholars engaged with records and remains of Iron Age Inner Asia in hopes that such a compilation will open avenues between disciplines and stimulate the development of integrated research.
The initial movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest, as th... more The initial movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest, as this region has long been home to pastoralist groups. Due to a paucity of faunal remains, however, it has been difficult to discern the timing of the adoption of domesticated ruminants and horses into the region, though recent research on ancient dairying has started to shed new light on this history. Here we present proteomic evidence for shifts in dairy consumption in the Altai Mountains, drawing on evidence from sites dating from the Early Bronze to the Late Iron Age. We compare these finds with evidence for the rise of social complexity in western Mongolia, as reflected in material remains signaling population growth, the establishment of structured cemeteries, and the erection of large monuments. Our results suggest that the subsistence basis for the development of complex societies began at the dawn of the Bronze Age, with the adoption of ruminant livestock. Investments in pastoralism intensified over time, enabling a food production system that sustained growing populations. While pronounced social changes and monumental constructions occurred in tandem with the first evidence for horse dairying,~1350 cal BCE, these shifts were fueled by a long-term economic dependence on ruminant livestock. Therefore, the spread into the Mongolian Altai
Globalization denotes a swath of local changes among distinct societies that are nevertheless sha... more Globalization denotes a swath of local changes among distinct societies that are nevertheless shaped by and entangled within intense networks of interregional exchanges. Through a consideration of foreign-imbued material culture change in the Xiongnu steppe empire, we argue for intense yet non-amalgamative processes of interregional interaction that play significant roles in intraregional social, cultural, and political developments.
Bryan K. Miller. 2015. The Southern Xiongnu in Northern China: Navigating and Negotiating the Mid... more Bryan K. Miller. 2015. The Southern Xiongnu in Northern China: Navigating and Negotiating the Middle Ground. In: J. Bemmann, M. Schmauder (Eds.), Complexity of Interaction Along the Eurasian Steppe Zone in the First Millennium CE. Bonn Contributions to Asian Archaeology vol.6. Bonn: Bonn University Press, 127-198.
Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Volume 57, Issue 1, pp.1-43
Descriptions of the political order of the Xiongnu empire rely heavily upon Chinese historical na... more Descriptions of the political order of the Xiongnu empire rely heavily upon Chinese historical narratives and, as a result, often simplify steppe politics and gloss over provincial political agents. This paper therefore discusses the entire spectrum of “kings” and regional elites in the steppes in order to elucidate shifting power politics over the course of the Xiongnu empire. Furthermore, a comparison of historical dynamics with the archaeological record suggests that competition from local leaders against the ruling factions spurred changes in material regimes of the imperial political culture, leading to a bifurcation of the steppe elite and pronounced expressions of authority.
The cemetery of Shombuuziin Belchir provides rare introspections into the nature of hinterland ar... more The cemetery of Shombuuziin Belchir provides rare introspections into the nature of hinterland areas of the Xiongnu Empire, and the well-preserved and often unlooted graves at the site offer new information about Xiongnu burial customs and society. The sample of excavated graves of this cemetery the burial grounds represent an entire local community, having individuals of all ages and sexes interred within. Furthermore, the adherence to Xiongnu mortuary customs seen in central Mongolia and the array of foreign prestige goods found within these burials together demonstrate that even such small communities in the periphery of the Xiongnu were
Ecosystem engineering is an innovative concept that recognizes that organisms impact their enviro... more Ecosystem engineering is an innovative concept that recognizes that organisms impact their environment, and that these changes can be detected over time. Thus, additional datasets from the ecological longue durée are necessary, specifically in response to the onset of the Anthropocene and the impacts of humans and their commensal organisms upon ecologies of all scales. For example, the management and herding of domesticated animals are recognized as having dramatic implications for soil stability, vegetation coverage, and even atmospheric composition the world over. Yet, the point at which pastoralism became a recognizable factor in altering earth systems, with large-scale environmental ramifications, is poorly understood. Here, we respond to this by reviewing and presenting data from the archeological and paleoenvironmental record across northern Central Asia in order to assess broader ecosystem impacts of pastoralism, from time periods when this economic pattern was a relatively novel component of local ecologies and involved limited population densities, through to periods in which it became intensive, coincident with agriculture, and linked to increased sedentism. Probing diverse, published analytical datasets and case studies, we examine pastoral adaptations and environmental impacts, highlighting a region where tensions surrounding resilience and sustainability of pastoralism have peaked in modern times. We draw upon these findings to examine the challenges faced by pastoralists today, and the ways in which archeological data might inform on management decisions into the future.
One of the main challenges to productive archaeological investigations of the peoples, practices,... more One of the main challenges to productive archaeological investigations of the peoples, practices, and politics associated with the Xiongnu phenomenon is to surpass multidisciplinary studies and develop truly inter-disciplinary investigations. Sources of different forms or of different
social lives may be analyzed separately but require a common research goal within which to frame these independent analyses so that they may be productively synthesized. This requires an integrative approach at the outset of investigation, and one which would likely lead to research outcomes that would not have been possible through any one discipline or resource. While the current state of research in the field of what might be broadly termed “Xiongnu studies” is certainly multidisciplinary – as one may easily ascertain by the wide range of contributions
in this volume – our understanding of the Xiongnu steppe polity and its constituents is only in the nascent stages of being pursued via truly inter-disciplinary investigations. The goal of this book is thus to present a comprehensive collection of the different agendas and methods of scholars engaged with records and remains of Iron Age Inner Asia in hopes that such a compilation will open avenues between disciplines and stimulate the development of integrated research.
The initial movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest, as th... more The initial movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest, as this region has long been home to pastoralist groups. Due to a paucity of faunal remains, however, it has been difficult to discern the timing of the adoption of domesticated ruminants and horses into the region, though recent research on ancient dairying has started to shed new light on this history. Here we present proteomic evidence for shifts in dairy consumption in the Altai Mountains, drawing on evidence from sites dating from the Early Bronze to the Late Iron Age. We compare these finds with evidence for the rise of social complexity in western Mongolia, as reflected in material remains signaling population growth, the establishment of structured cemeteries, and the erection of large monuments. Our results suggest that the subsistence basis for the development of complex societies began at the dawn of the Bronze Age, with the adoption of ruminant livestock. Investments in pastoralism intensified over time, enabling a food production system that sustained growing populations. While pronounced social changes and monumental constructions occurred in tandem with the first evidence for horse dairying,~1350 cal BCE, these shifts were fueled by a long-term economic dependence on ruminant livestock. Therefore, the spread into the Mongolian Altai
Globalization denotes a swath of local changes among distinct societies that are nevertheless sha... more Globalization denotes a swath of local changes among distinct societies that are nevertheless shaped by and entangled within intense networks of interregional exchanges. Through a consideration of foreign-imbued material culture change in the Xiongnu steppe empire, we argue for intense yet non-amalgamative processes of interregional interaction that play significant roles in intraregional social, cultural, and political developments.
Bryan K. Miller. 2015. The Southern Xiongnu in Northern China: Navigating and Negotiating the Mid... more Bryan K. Miller. 2015. The Southern Xiongnu in Northern China: Navigating and Negotiating the Middle Ground. In: J. Bemmann, M. Schmauder (Eds.), Complexity of Interaction Along the Eurasian Steppe Zone in the First Millennium CE. Bonn Contributions to Asian Archaeology vol.6. Bonn: Bonn University Press, 127-198.
Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Volume 57, Issue 1, pp.1-43
Descriptions of the political order of the Xiongnu empire rely heavily upon Chinese historical na... more Descriptions of the political order of the Xiongnu empire rely heavily upon Chinese historical narratives and, as a result, often simplify steppe politics and gloss over provincial political agents. This paper therefore discusses the entire spectrum of “kings” and regional elites in the steppes in order to elucidate shifting power politics over the course of the Xiongnu empire. Furthermore, a comparison of historical dynamics with the archaeological record suggests that competition from local leaders against the ruling factions spurred changes in material regimes of the imperial political culture, leading to a bifurcation of the steppe elite and pronounced expressions of authority.
The cemetery of Shombuuziin Belchir provides rare introspections into the nature of hinterland ar... more The cemetery of Shombuuziin Belchir provides rare introspections into the nature of hinterland areas of the Xiongnu Empire, and the well-preserved and often unlooted graves at the site offer new information about Xiongnu burial customs and society. The sample of excavated graves of this cemetery the burial grounds represent an entire local community, having individuals of all ages and sexes interred within. Furthermore, the adherence to Xiongnu mortuary customs seen in central Mongolia and the array of foreign prestige goods found within these burials together demonstrate that even such small communities in the periphery of the Xiongnu were
Ecosystem engineering is an innovative concept that recognizes that organisms impact their enviro... more Ecosystem engineering is an innovative concept that recognizes that organisms impact their environment, and that these changes can be detected over time. Thus, additional datasets from the ecological longue durée are necessary, specifically in response to the onset of the Anthropocene and the impacts of humans and their commensal organisms upon ecologies of all scales. For example, the management and herding of domesticated animals are recognized as having dramatic implications for soil stability, vegetation coverage, and even atmospheric composition the world over. Yet, the point at which pastoralism became a recognizable factor in altering earth systems, with large-scale environmental ramifications, is poorly understood. Here, we respond to this by reviewing and presenting data from the archeological and paleoenvironmental record across northern Central Asia in order to assess broader ecosystem impacts of pastoralism, from time periods when this economic pattern was a relatively novel component of local ecologies and involved limited population densities, through to periods in which it became intensive, coincident with agriculture, and linked to increased sedentism. Probing diverse, published analytical datasets and case studies, we examine pastoral adaptations and environmental impacts, highlighting a region where tensions surrounding resilience and sustainability of pastoralism have peaked in modern times. We draw upon these findings to examine the challenges faced by pastoralists today, and the ways in which archeological data might inform on management decisions into the future.
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Books by Bryan Miller
social lives may be analyzed separately but require a common research goal within which to frame these independent analyses so that they may be productively synthesized. This requires an integrative approach at the outset of investigation, and one which would likely lead to research outcomes that would not have been possible through any one discipline or resource. While the current state of research in the field of what might be broadly termed “Xiongnu studies” is certainly multidisciplinary – as one may easily ascertain by the wide range of contributions
in this volume – our understanding of the Xiongnu steppe polity and its constituents is only in the nascent stages of being pursued via truly inter-disciplinary investigations. The goal of this book is thus to present a comprehensive collection of the different agendas and methods of scholars engaged with records and remains of Iron Age Inner Asia in hopes that such a compilation will open avenues between disciplines and stimulate the development of integrated research.
Papers by Bryan Miller
Articles by Bryan Miller
social lives may be analyzed separately but require a common research goal within which to frame these independent analyses so that they may be productively synthesized. This requires an integrative approach at the outset of investigation, and one which would likely lead to research outcomes that would not have been possible through any one discipline or resource. While the current state of research in the field of what might be broadly termed “Xiongnu studies” is certainly multidisciplinary – as one may easily ascertain by the wide range of contributions
in this volume – our understanding of the Xiongnu steppe polity and its constituents is only in the nascent stages of being pursued via truly inter-disciplinary investigations. The goal of this book is thus to present a comprehensive collection of the different agendas and methods of scholars engaged with records and remains of Iron Age Inner Asia in hopes that such a compilation will open avenues between disciplines and stimulate the development of integrated research.