Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China
Eastern and Western Asia were important centers for the domestication of plants and animals and they developed different agricultural practices and systems. The timing, routeway and mechanisms of the exchanges between the two centers have long been important scientific issues. The development of a m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.748327/full |
| _version_ | 1818891573429010432 |
|---|---|
| author | Yaping Zhang Yaping Zhang Ying Zhang Songmei Hu Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Linjing Liu Junchi Liu Junchi Liu Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li |
| author_facet | Yaping Zhang Yaping Zhang Ying Zhang Songmei Hu Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Linjing Liu Junchi Liu Junchi Liu Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li |
| author_sort | Yaping Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Eastern and Western Asia were important centers for the domestication of plants and animals and they developed different agricultural practices and systems. The timing, routeway and mechanisms of the exchanges between the two centers have long been important scientific issues. The development of a mixed pastoral system (e.g., with the rearing of sheep, goats and cattle) and millet cultivation in the steppe region of northern China was the result of the link between the two cultures. However, little detailed information is available about the precise timing and mechanisms involved in this mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation. To try to address the issue, we analyzed the pollen, fungal spores and phytolith contents of soil samples from the Bronze Age Zhukaigou site in the steppe area of North China, which was combined with AMS 14C dating of charcoal, millet and animal bones. A mixed pastoralism and millet agricultural system appeared at the site between 4,000 and 3,700 cal yr BP, and the intensity of animal husbandry increased in the later stage of occupation. Published data indicate that domestic sheep/goats appeared across a wide area of the steppe region of northern China after ∼4,000 cal yr BP. A comparison of records of sheep/goat rearing and paleoclimatic records from monsoon area in China leads us to conclude that the mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation was promoted by the occurrence of drought events during 4,200–4,000 cal yr BP. Moreover, we suggest that mixed rainfed agriculture and animal husbandry increased the adaptability and resilience of the inhabitants of the region which enabled them to occupy the relatively arid environment of the monsoon marginal area of northern China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:42:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ee6a3a64cc184cb2a042964191efcaa9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:42:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-ee6a3a64cc184cb2a042964191efcaa92022-12-21T20:12:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632021-11-01910.3389/feart.2021.748327748327Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern ChinaYaping Zhang0Yaping Zhang1Ying Zhang2Songmei Hu3Xinying Zhou4Xinying Zhou5Xinying Zhou6Linjing Liu7Junchi Liu8Junchi Liu9Keliang Zhao10Keliang Zhao11Keliang Zhao12Xiaoqiang Li13Xiaoqiang Li14Xiaoqiang Li15Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Earth Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaShaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, Xi’an, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Earth Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Earth Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Earth Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaEastern and Western Asia were important centers for the domestication of plants and animals and they developed different agricultural practices and systems. The timing, routeway and mechanisms of the exchanges between the two centers have long been important scientific issues. The development of a mixed pastoral system (e.g., with the rearing of sheep, goats and cattle) and millet cultivation in the steppe region of northern China was the result of the link between the two cultures. However, little detailed information is available about the precise timing and mechanisms involved in this mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation. To try to address the issue, we analyzed the pollen, fungal spores and phytolith contents of soil samples from the Bronze Age Zhukaigou site in the steppe area of North China, which was combined with AMS 14C dating of charcoal, millet and animal bones. A mixed pastoralism and millet agricultural system appeared at the site between 4,000 and 3,700 cal yr BP, and the intensity of animal husbandry increased in the later stage of occupation. Published data indicate that domestic sheep/goats appeared across a wide area of the steppe region of northern China after ∼4,000 cal yr BP. A comparison of records of sheep/goat rearing and paleoclimatic records from monsoon area in China leads us to conclude that the mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation was promoted by the occurrence of drought events during 4,200–4,000 cal yr BP. Moreover, we suggest that mixed rainfed agriculture and animal husbandry increased the adaptability and resilience of the inhabitants of the region which enabled them to occupy the relatively arid environment of the monsoon marginal area of northern China.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.748327/fullZhukaigou site4.2 cal kyr BPsheep/goat rearingrainfed agriculturehuman adaptation |
| spellingShingle | Yaping Zhang Yaping Zhang Ying Zhang Songmei Hu Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Xinying Zhou Linjing Liu Junchi Liu Junchi Liu Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Keliang Zhao Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li Xiaoqiang Li Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China Frontiers in Earth Science Zhukaigou site 4.2 cal kyr BP sheep/goat rearing rainfed agriculture human adaptation |
| title | Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China |
| title_full | Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China |
| title_fullStr | Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China |
| title_short | Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China |
| title_sort | pastoralism and millet cultivation during the bronze age in the temperate steppe region of northern china |
| topic | Zhukaigou site 4.2 cal kyr BP sheep/goat rearing rainfed agriculture human adaptation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.748327/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yapingzhang pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT yapingzhang pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT yingzhang pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT songmeihu pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xinyingzhou pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xinyingzhou pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xinyingzhou pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT linjingliu pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT junchiliu pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT junchiliu pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT keliangzhao pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT keliangzhao pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT keliangzhao pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xiaoqiangli pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xiaoqiangli pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina AT xiaoqiangli pastoralismandmilletcultivationduringthebronzeageinthetemperatestepperegionofnorthernchina |