Century Archaeological Discoveries of the Early Nomadic Cultural Remains – Centered in the Middle Section of the Great Wall Area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
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Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 2021 14(8): 1121–1138 DOI: 10.17516/1997-1370-0795 УДК 94 21st- Century Archaeological Discoveries of the Early Nomadic Cultural Remains – Centered in the Middle Section of the Great Wall Area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Cao Jianen and Sun Jinsong* Institute of History of Science and Technology Inner Mongolia Normal University Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Received 22.05.2021, received in revised form 04.06.2021, accepted 06.07.2021 Abstract. Since the beginning of the 21st century, eight early nomadic cultural remains located in Xinzhouyaozi Village, Xiaoshuanggucheng Village, and Xindianzi Town, have been discovered in Manhan Mountain, Hunhe River and two other districts in the middle section of the Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The new discoveries have crucial academic significance to the study of the formation of nomads, cultural exchanges, and the culture of steppe nomads, in terms of burial styles, animal sacrifice customs, and characteristics of grave goods. Keywords: Great Wall area, nomadic culture, new archaeological discoveries. Research area: history and archaeology Citation: Cao Jianen, Sun Jinsong (2021). 21st- century archaeological discoveries of the early nomadic cultural remains – centered in the middle section of the Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. J. Sib. Fed. Univ. Humanit. soc. sci., 14(8), 1121–1138. DOI: 10.17516/1997-1370-0795. © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected]; [email protected] – 1121 – Cao Jianen and Sun Jinsong. 21st-Century Archaeological Discoveries of the Early Nomadic Cultural Remains… Современные археологические находки остатков культуры ранних кочевников средней части района Великой Китайской стены в автономном районе «Внутренняя Монголия» Цао Цзяньэнь, Сунь Цзиньсун Институт истории науки и техники Национальный университет Внутренней Монголии Институт культурных реликвий и археологии Внутренняя Монголия Аннотация. С начала 21 века в горах Маньхань, на реке Хунхэ и в двух других местностях средней части района Великой Китайской стены автономного района «Внутренняя Монголия» были обнаружены восемь культурных останков ранних кочевников, расположенных в деревнях Синьчжоуяоцзы, Сяошуангучэн и городе Синьдяньцзы. Новые открытия имеют важное значение для изучения истории и культуры степных кочевников (включая межкультурный обмен) с точки зрения стилей погребения, обычаев жертвоприношения животных и характеристик погребальных принадлежностей. Ключевые слова: район Великой Китайской стены, кочевая культура, новые археологические открытия. Научная специальность: 07.00. 00 – история и археология Introduction middle section of the Great Wall area in Inner The Great Wall area in North China is the Mongolia Autonomous Region saw fundamental intersection where the steppe nomadic culture changes in both depth and breadth. As a series meets the agricultural civilization of the Central of academic achievements have been widely Plains. The area serves as a boundary between recognized by the academia at home and abroad, agrarian and pastoral societies, and also a key heated debates also arose on subjects such as the place for the two economies to meet and merge, division of cultural systems, human migration, representing a balance of «force» formed by the and the integration of agricultural and pastoral two contending cultures. The middle section cultures. Since entering in the 21st century, of the Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia new archaeological discoveries of the early Autonomous Region mainly covers the Manhan nomadic cultural remains in the middle section Mountain, Ordos Plateau, Tumochuan Plain, of the Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia have Hunhe River Basin, and Huangqihai Area. As presented new scientific evidence for in- depth the Ordos bronzes, featuring the Eurasian Steppe discussions about the foregoing issues. This paper «animal style,» were primarily unearthed in will introduce the early nomadic cultural remains the Ordos area between the 1950s and 1960s, discovered in the middle section of the Great Wall such remains have been drawing extensive area of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region attention and leading to continuous research and carry on in- depth discussions accordingly among scholars both at home and abroad. In the on related issues. 1970s and 1980s, along with the archaeological excavations of Taohongbala Cemetery, Overview of the new archaeological discoveries Maoqinggou Cemetery, and Xiyuan Cemetery, The early nomadic remains discovered in the studies of the early nomadic remains in the the 21st century in the middle section of the – 1122 – Cao Jianen and Sun Jinsong. 21st-Century Archaeological Discoveries of the Early Nomadic Cultural Remains… Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia are cen- No burial containers were found, except a tered in the Manhan Mountain area, Ordos stone outer coffin in one tomb. An individual area, Hunhe River area, and Huangqihai area was laid out in an extended supine position in (Figure 1). The cemeteries are introduced as each tomb. Tomb chamber floors are mostly follows according to areas. higher on the foot side and lower on the head side. (A) Manhan Mountain Area Animal sacrifices were prevalent in A total of three early nomadic cemeteries Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery, which were usual- were discovered in the area, namely ly found from the filling dirt at the east end Xinzhouyaozi,1 Xiaoshuanggucheng,2 and of the tomb and above the skull of the human Shuiquan.3 remains. Most of the unearthed animal re- mains were skulls, parietal bones, and pedal 1. Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery bones of horses, cattle, sheep/goats, swine, With a total area of 15,000 square me- and dogs. All sacrificed animals were placed ters, Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery is located in the upside down, that is, the mandibles were fac- sunny slop that is about 1 kilometer north of ing upward, the snouts were in the direction Xinzhouyaozi Village, Yongxing Town, Li- of human skulls, and small bones such as ped- angcheng County, Ulanqab City. In 2003, the al bones, coronary bones were placed in the Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology maxilla of the same animal. The number of of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region carried animals buried in each tomb varies, with the out a proactive excavation at the site and dis- most being at least 13. Scapulae or ribs of cat- covered a total of 69 tombs. tle or sheep/goats were found around human All tombs from Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery chest or abdomen, which might be a special are vertical earthen pits (110–250 centime- sacrifice different from the regular one. The ters in length and 40–110 cm in width). The combinations of sacrificed animals fall into tombs all face northeast with an orientation six categories, which are horses, cattle, sheep/ of 50–101 degrees. Second- tier ledges and goats; horses, sheep/goats; cattle, sheep/goats, head niches are commonly seen in the tombs, swine, dogs; cattle, sheep/goats, dogs; sheep/ usually with a pottery ware in the head niche. goats; dogs. Sheep/goats account for the most with an equal number of sheep and goats. The 1 Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mon- golia Autonomous Region 内蒙古自治区文物考古研究所. number of cattle ranks second, followed by 2016. Daihai diqu Dongzhou muqun fajue baogao 岱海地区 horses, swine, and dogs successively. 东周墓群发掘报告 (The Excavation of Eastern Zhou Ceme- The grave goods unearthed from tery in Daihai Lake Area). Kexue chubanshe, Beijing; Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery consist mainly of Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mon- bronzes, and a certain number of pottery golia Autonomous Region 内蒙古自治区文物考古研究所. 2009. «Neimenggu Liangcheng xian Xinzhouyaozi mudi fajue wares, horns, clams, stones, jade and so on. jianbao» 内蒙古凉城县忻州窑子墓地发掘简报 (The Ex- Among them, each tomb has one pottery cavation of Xinzhouyaozi Cemetery in Liangcheng County, ware discovered, most of which was placed Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region). Kaogu 考古 (Archae- in the head niche. The pottery wares consist ology) No. 3. mainly of double- eared guan- jars with necks, 2 See [1] above. 3 Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mon- plain surface guan- jars without ears, cord- golia Autonomous Region 内蒙古自治区文物考古研究所. patterned guan- jars without ears, followed 2016. Daihai diqu Dongzhou muqun fajue baogao 岱海地区 with a small number of double eared guan- 东周墓群发掘报告 (The Excavation of Eastern Zhou Ceme- jars without necks, guan- jars with four lugs, tery in Daihai Lake Area). Kexue chubanshe, Beijing; and single- eared guan- jars were also discov- Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mon- golia Autonomous Region 内蒙古自治区文物考古研究所. ered. Some of the pottery ware mouths have 2012. «Liangcheng xian Shuiquan Dongzhou mudi fajue ji- a pair of symmetrical holes, which might anbao» 凉城县水泉东周墓地发掘简报 (The Excavation of be designed for carrying and moving. This Shuiquan Cemetery of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in Liangc- cemetery features a large number of pot- heng County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region). Caoyuan tery wares with sharp shoulders. Most of the wenwu 草原文物 (Steppe Cultural Relics) No. 1. – 1123 – Cao Jianen and Sun Jinsong. 21st-Century Archaeological Discoveries of the Early Nomadic Cultural Remains… Figure 1. Distribution of the newly discovered early nomadic remains in the middle section of the Great Wall area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region bronzes are ornaments