Investigating reindeer pastoralism and exploitation of high mountain zones in northern Mongolia through ice patch archaeology
Investigating reindeer pastoralism and exploitation of high mountain zones in northern Mongolia through ice patch archaeology
复制标题
通过冰块考古研究蒙古北部的驯鹿放牧和高山地区的开发
作者：
W. Taylor;Julia K. Clark;Björn Reichhardt;G. Hodgins;J. Bayarsaikhan;Oyundelger Batchuluun;Jocelyn Whitworth;M. Nansalmaa;Craig M. Lee;E. Dixon
在欧亚大陆内陆，高山地区是畜牧业生存的关键，提供季节性生产的牧场和丰富的野生资源。在蒙古北方的一些地区，多山的苔原地带也支持低纬度的家养驯鹿牧民--这种生活方式的起源在早期蒙古的考古记录中没有得到充分的描述。传统上，驯鹿牧民季节性地大量使用munkh mus（永恒的冰）饲养驯鹿，利用这些特性为热应激的动物降温，并缓解昆虫的骚扰。近年来，其中许多地貌首次开始完全融化，对传统管理技术、夏季牧场的生存能力和驯鹿健康造成紧迫威胁。融化的冰也暴露了脆弱的有机考古材料，这些材料以前被包含在补丁中。我们提出的结果马背调查的冰补丁在Baruun泰加特别保护区，提供了第一次考古的见解，从该地区。结果揭示了新的证据，历史上的工具生产和野生资源利用的渔业或其他活动，并表明冰补丁可能包含少数材料记录的前现代国内驯鹿使用在蒙古和中亚地区。由于气候变化和夏季气温变暖，该地区的古冰似乎正在迅速融化，使文化遗产和传统的驯鹿放牧在未来几年面临极大的风险。
In interior Eurasia, high mountain zones are crucial to pastoral subsistence, providing seasonally productive pastures and abundant wild resources. In some areas of northern Mongolia, mountainous tundra zones also support a low-latitude population of domestic reindeer herders–a lifestyle whose origins are poorly characterized in the archaeological record of early Mongolia. Traditionally, reindeer pastoralists make significant seasonal use of munkh mus (eternal ice) for their domestic herds, using these features to cool heat-stressed animals and provide respite from insect harassment. In recent years, many of these features have begun to melt entirely for the first time, producing urgent threats to traditional management techniques, the viability of summer pastures, and reindeer health. The melting ice is also exposing fragile organic archaeological materials that had previously been contained in the patch. We present the results of horseback survey of ice patches in Baruun Taiga special protected area, providing the first archaeological insights from the region. Results reveal new evidence of historic tool production and wild resource use for fishing or other activities, and indicate that ice patches are likely to contain one of the few material records of premodern domestic reindeer use in Mongolia and lower Central Asia. The area’s ancient ice appears to be rapidly melting due to changing climate and warming summer temperatures, putting both cultural heritage and traditional reindeer herding at extreme risk in the years to come.