Ancient Xinjiang Between Central Asia and China; The Nomadic Factor

Historical knowledge of Central Asia in China dates back to the second century B.C., and is associated with the odyssean journey of the imperial envoy Zhang Qian. Contacts between China and Central Asia had certainly been in existence long before then. The momentum behind the expansion of communication is commonly traced back to the development of a mobile way of life among the pastoral peoples of the Central Asian steppe, and to the increased level of economic specialization of farmers and herders, which provided both a means and a need for trade. Findings from the burials of the Pazyryk culture [Hiebert, 1992] show the extraordinary network of exchange woven by the pastoral nomadic cultures of the Sayano-Altai region. Though the findings cannot document the existence of any actual trade, it is clear that these people had access to products that were produced far away, in China and possibly the Near East. The evolution of the early nomadic cultures is also associated with developments in metallurgical production, accumulation of wealth in form of metal objects—in particular gold ornaments—and sophisticated burial complexes. Archeologists of Central Asia have traditionally paid attention to both the evolution of nomadism and nomadic interaction with sedentary cultures

Ancient history · Archaeology · Central asia · China · East Asia · Geography · Ornaments · Steppe · China's Ethnic Minorities and Relations · Chinese history and philosophy · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History

• Nomadic ecology shaped the highland geography of Asia’s Silk Roads

  Open Access•Michael Frachetti, Michael D Frachetti et al.•Nature•2017

  Incluir item

• New radiocarbon dates and modeling reveal the prehistoric chronology and multiple interments in the Wulasitai Valley, Middle Tian Shan Region in Hejing County (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China)

  Open Access•Ziheng Gao, Kangte He et al.•Radiocarbon•2026

  Incluir item

• A bioarchaeological study of osteoarthritis among populations of northern China and Mongolia during the Bronze Age to Iron Age transition to nomadic pastoralism

  Open Access•Jacqueline T Eng•Quaternary International•2016

  Incluir item

• Part 1. Bibliographies and Other Research and Reference Guides, Including Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Grammars and Phrase Books

  Open Access•Edrs Price, Jerry D Venkatagiri et al.•Nationalities Papers•2002

  Incluir item

• Re-Writing Mythology in Xinjiang

  A Rippa•The China Journal•2014

  Incluir item

• Genes, language, and culture

  Open Access•Christopher P Thornton, Thedore G Schurr et al.•Oxford Journal of Archaeology•2004

  Incluir item

• Horse‐mounted invaders from the Russo‐Kazakh steppe or agricultural colonists from western Central Asia? A craniometric investigation of the Bronze Age settlement of Xinjiang

  Open Access•Brian E Hemphill, Brian Hemphill et al.•American Journal of Physical…•2004

  Incluir item

• Grabfunde der Skythenzeit aus Tuva, Süd-Sibirien Ders., Das Gräberfeld der hunno-sarmatischen Zeit

  Roman Kenk•Praehistorische Zeitschrift•1990

  Incluir item

• Historical Perspectives on The Introduction of The Chariot Into China

  Edward L Shaughnessy•Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies•1988

  Incluir item

• China in Central Asia

  A F P Hulsewe•China in Central Asia•1979

  Incluir item

• Archéologie du Xinjiang des origines aux Han. IIème partie

  Corinne Debaine-Francfort, Corinne Debaine‐francfort•Paléorient•1989

  Incluir item

• Archéologie du Xinjiang des origines aux Han. Première partie

  Corinne Debaine-Francfort, Corinne Debaine‐francfort•Paléorient•1988

  Incluir item

• The late prehistory of xinjiang in relation to its neighbors

  Open Access•Kwang-Tzuu Chen, Fredrik T Hiebert•Journal of World Prehistory•1995

  Incluir item

• Weapons and Tools from Anyang, and Siberian Analogies

  Max Loehr•American Journal of Archaeology•1949

  Incluir item

• Human Skulls from Ancient Cemeteries in the Tarim Basin

  Arthur Keith•The Journal of the Royal…•1929

  Incluir item

• Ancient Inner Asian Nomads

  Open Access•Nicola Di Cosmo•The Journal of Asian Studies•1994

  Incluir item