The Shirenzigou culture (Chinese: 石人子沟文化, ca. 410–190 BCE), also referred to as Dongheigou (东黑沟),[1] is an archaeological culture from the Shirenzigou site in Barkol County, to the east of the Tarim Basin.
Skeletal evidence from sites in Shirenzigou and Xigou in eastern Xinjiang indicate that by the fourth century BCE both horseback riding and mounted archery were practiced along China's northwest frontier.[2]
Genetic studies on Iron Age individuals of the Shirenzigou site dated to circa 200 BCE have shown a fairly balanced admixture between the West Eurasian and East Eurasian genetic pools.[3] The West Eurasian component was Yamnaya-related, while the East Eurasian component was Northeast Asian-related. The Yamanaya component suggests a strong probability that the Shirenzigou populations were derived from the Afanasievo culture to the north, and spoke an Indo-European language.[3] This reinforces an Afanasievo origin hypothesis for the Tocharians, often called the "Steppe hypotheses", rather than an hypothese favouring BMAC and Andronovo culture origins, the "Bactrian Oasis hypotheses".[3]
Culturally, the Shirenzigou site showed strong affinity with the neighbouring Yanbulake culture close to the east and the Pazyryk culture to the northwest (deer-shaped griffin motifs) from the Altai region.[3] The Shirenzigou culture is sometimes considered as the easternmost expansion of the Pazyryk culture.[4] Beads were also imported from China.[3]
Looking at the archaeological and genetic evidence, the region has been suggested as an area of origin for the Yuezhi: the Yuegongtai-Xiheigou (岳公台-西黑沟) archaeological sites, corresponding to the Barkol culture in the Barkol County of Xinjiang. This would have positionned the Yuezhi between the Subeshi culture to their west, the Yanbulaq culture to their east, the aftermaths of the Chemurchek culture to the north, and a wide desertical area to south about a thousand kilometers away from the Central Plains of China.[5]
Shirenzigou map
Shirenzigou site with dwellings (yellow circles) and tombs (purple triangles)
Surroundings of the Shirenzigou archaeological site in Barkol County
Shirenzigou bone arrowheads
Shirenzigou dwelling F2 (from the North)
Shirenzigou dwelling F2, with artifacts
Principal component analysis (PCA) based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroup frequencies of ancient and present-day Eurasian populations, with Shirenzigou samples
Further readingedit
Liu, Yan; Xi, Tongyuan; Ma, Jian; Liu, Ruiliang; Kuerban, Reheman; Yan, Feng; Ma, Yingxia; Yang, Junchang (1 February 2022). "Demystifying ancient filigree art: Microanalytical study of gold earrings from Dongheigou cemetery (4th-2nd century BCE) in north-west China". Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 41: 103344. doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103344. ISSN 2352-409X.
"The Dongheigou Site in Balikun of Xinjiang". en.chinaculture.org.
Referencesedit
^Wang, Yuxuan; Monteith, Francesca; Xi, Tongyuan; Ren, Meng; Li, Daren; Hu, Songmei; Wang, Jianxin; Festa, Marcella; Ma, Jian (16 March 2023). "New evidence for regional pastoral practice and social complexity in the Eastern Tianshan Mountains in the first millennium BCE". Scientific Reports. 13 (1): 4338. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-31489-9. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC10020425.
^Li, Yue; Zhang, Chengrui; Taylor, William Timothy Treal; Chen, Liang; Flad, Rowan K.; et al. (24 November 2020). "Early evidence for mounted horseback riding in northwest China". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117 (47): 29569–29576. Bibcode:2020PNAS..11729569L. doi:10.1073/pnas.2004360117. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC7703595. PMID 33139545.
^ abcdeNing, Chao; Wang, Chuan-Chao; Gao, Shizhu; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Xue; Wu, Xiyan; Zhang, Fan; Nie, Zhongzhi; Tang, Yunpeng; Robbeets, Martine; Ma, Jian; Krause, Johannes; Cui, Yinqiu (5 August 2019). "Ancient Genomes Reveal Yamnaya-Related Ancestry and a Potential Source of Indo-European Speakers in Iron Age Tianshan". Current Biology. 29 (15): 2526–2532.e4. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.06.044. ISSN 0960-9822. Our results suggest that the Yamnaya and/or Afanasievo-related ancestry expanded further south through the Dzungarian Basin into the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang since at least the second millennium BCE and thus support the "Steppe hypothesis" for the early peopling of Xinjiang.
^Rubinson, Karen S.; Linduff, Katheryn M. (February 2023). "Deer or Horses with Antlers? Wooden Figures Adorning Herders in the Altai". Arts. 12 (1): Figure 1. Map of Pazyryk Culture Sites. doi:10.3390/arts12010029. ISSN 2076-0752.
^Lan-Hai Wei, Ryan; Li, Hui (2013). "The separate origins of the Tocharians and the Yuezhi: Results from recent advances in archaeology and genetics". International Conference on Tocharian Manuscripts and Silk Road CultureAt: University of Vienna, Vienna. 26–28 June 2013.
February 16, 2024
shirenzigou, culture, chinese, 石人子沟文化, also, referred, dongheigou, 东黑沟, archaeological, culture, from, shirenzigou, site, barkol, county, east, tarim, basin, 325sakaskorgantasyuezhisargatgoro, khovosha, jingsubeshislab, graveculturedonghusabeansordosculturepaz. The Shirenzigou culture Chinese 石人子沟文化 ca 410 190 BCE also referred to as Dongheigou 东黑沟 1 is an archaeological culture from the Shirenzigou site in Barkol County to the east of the Tarim Basin Shirenzigou culture 325SAKASKorgantasYUEZHISargatGoro khovoSha jingSubeshiSlab gravecultureDONGHUSABEANSOrdosculturePazyrykTagarChandmanSaglyJINDiancultureMACEDONIAN EMPIRENANDAEMPIREZHOUDYNASTYMEROEScythiansSauro matiansMassagetaeDahae class notpageimage Location of the Shirenzigou culture with contemporary cultures circa 325 BCEGeographical rangeXinjiangDates400 190 BCEType siteShirenzigou 43 31 42 N 93 14 31 E 43 528234 N 93 241880 E 43 528234 93 241880Followed byXiongnuSkeletal evidence from sites in Shirenzigou and Xigou in eastern Xinjiang indicate that by the fourth century BCE both horseback riding and mounted archery were practiced along China s northwest frontier 2 Genetic studies on Iron Age individuals of the Shirenzigou site dated to circa 200 BCE have shown a fairly balanced admixture between the West Eurasian and East Eurasian genetic pools 3 The West Eurasian component was Yamnaya related while the East Eurasian component was Northeast Asian related The Yamanaya component suggests a strong probability that the Shirenzigou populations were derived from the Afanasievo culture to the north and spoke an Indo European language 3 This reinforces an Afanasievo origin hypothesis for the Tocharians often called the Steppe hypotheses rather than an hypothese favouring BMAC and Andronovo culture origins the Bactrian Oasis hypotheses 3 Culturally the Shirenzigou site showed strong affinity with the neighbouring Yanbulake culture close to the east and the Pazyryk culture to the northwest deer shaped griffin motifs from the Altai region 3 The Shirenzigou culture is sometimes considered as the easternmost expansion of the Pazyryk culture 4 Beads were also imported from China 3 Looking at the archaeological and genetic evidence the region has been suggested as an area of origin for the Yuezhi the Yuegongtai Xiheigou 岳公台 西黑沟 archaeological sites corresponding to the Barkol culture in the Barkol County of Xinjiang This would have positionned the Yuezhi between the Subeshi culture to their west the Yanbulaq culture to their east the aftermaths of the Chemurchek culture to the north and a wide desertical area to south about a thousand kilometers away from the Central Plains of China 5 Shirenzigou map Shirenzigou site with dwellings yellow circles and tombs purple triangles Surroundings of the Shirenzigou archaeological site in Barkol County Shirenzigou bone arrowheads Shirenzigou dwelling F2 from the North Shirenzigou dwelling F2 with artifacts Principal component analysis PCA based on mitochondrial DNA mtDNA haplogroup frequencies of ancient and present day Eurasian populations with Shirenzigou samplesFurther reading editLiu Yan Xi Tongyuan Ma Jian Liu Ruiliang Kuerban Reheman Yan Feng Ma Yingxia Yang Junchang 1 February 2022 Demystifying ancient filigree art Microanalytical study of gold earrings from Dongheigou cemetery 4th 2nd century BCE in north west China Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 41 103344 doi 10 1016 j jasrep 2022 103344 ISSN 2352 409X The Dongheigou Site in Balikun of Xinjiang en chinaculture org References edit Wang Yuxuan Monteith Francesca Xi Tongyuan Ren Meng Li Daren Hu Songmei Wang Jianxin Festa Marcella Ma Jian 16 March 2023 New evidence for regional pastoral practice and social complexity in the Eastern Tianshan Mountains in the first millennium BCE Scientific Reports 13 1 4338 doi 10 1038 s41598 023 31489 9 ISSN 2045 2322 PMC 10020425 Li Yue Zhang Chengrui Taylor William Timothy Treal Chen Liang Flad Rowan K et al 24 November 2020 Early evidence for mounted horseback riding in northwest China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117 47 29569 29576 Bibcode 2020PNAS 11729569L doi 10 1073 pnas 2004360117 ISSN 0027 8424 PMC 7703595 PMID 33139545 a b c d e Ning Chao Wang Chuan Chao Gao Shizhu Yang Yang Zhang Xue Wu Xiyan Zhang Fan Nie Zhongzhi Tang Yunpeng Robbeets Martine Ma Jian Krause Johannes Cui Yinqiu 5 August 2019 Ancient Genomes Reveal Yamnaya Related Ancestry and a Potential Source of Indo European Speakers in Iron Age Tianshan Current Biology 29 15 2526 2532 e4 doi 10 1016 j cub 2019 06 044 ISSN 0960 9822 Our results suggest that the Yamnaya and or Afanasievo related ancestry expanded further south through the Dzungarian Basin into the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang since at least the second millennium BCE and thus support the Steppe hypothesis for the early peopling of Xinjiang Rubinson Karen S Linduff Katheryn M February 2023 Deer or Horses with Antlers Wooden Figures Adorning Herders in the Altai Arts 12 1 Figure 1 Map of Pazyryk Culture Sites doi 10 3390 arts12010029 ISSN 2076 0752 Lan Hai Wei Ryan Li Hui 2013 The separate origins of the Tocharians and the Yuezhi Results from recent advances in archaeology and genetics International Conference on Tocharian Manuscripts and Silk Road CultureAt University of Vienna Vienna 26 28 June 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shirenzigou culture amp oldid 1193143443, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
