ARCHCROP: Crossing Paths: Millet, Wheat and Cultural Exchanges in the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor, China

ARCHCROP：交叉路径：中国内亚山地走廊的小米、小麦和文化交流

• 批准号: EP/Y027809/1
• 负责人: Tingting Wang
• 金额: $ 23.84万
• 依托单位: University of Oxford
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY027809%2F1
• 关键词: ARCHCROP; Crossing; Paths; Millet; Wheat

The Bronze Age (3rd to 2nd millennia BC) witnessed the spread of millet consumption westwards from China, while southwest Asian crops (wheat and barley) spread eastward. These cross-continental movements of cereals first coincided with each other in the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC), and this horizon is believed to have important implications for understanding early East-West interactions. Focusing on the eastern portion of the IAMC in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, a multi-disciplinary study is proposed here to explore the chronology, routes, ecological conditions and social influences involved in the spread of these ecologically and isotopically distinct crops. Multiple research techniques (i.e. archaeobotany, stable isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating) will be applied to various sample materials (i.e. plant remains, human and animal bone/tooth bioapatite, human serialdentine) from Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang (i.e. Tongtian Cave, Chemurchek, Xiaohe, Tianshanbeilu & Wubao). The aims of this project are to clarify 1) the ways in which millet, wheat and barley were cultivated when they first met; 2) the scale at which these crops, especially millets, were consumed and if this involved any diachronic or spatial change; 3) the reasons why millet, wheat and barley moved across Xinjiang and whether this was associated with any specific social factors or ecological conditions; 4) was adoption of new crops influenced by gendered relationships visible through individual life histories. The findings of this research will be examined in the context of early East-West interactions to provide new key knowledge about the pivotal role that Xinjiang played in the Trans-Eurasian Exchange of crops. The topic of Old-World crop globalization is particularly important in the context of health, gender and food security in today`s world. The current topical nature of the studied region, Xinjiang, also adds to the relevance and timeliness of this project.

青铜时代（公元前3000年至公元前2000年）见证了小米消费从中国向西传播，而西南亚洲作物（小麦和大麦）则向东传播。这些谷物的跨大陆运动首先在亚洲内陆山区走廊（IAMC）相互吻合，这一地平线被认为对理解早期东西方相互作用具有重要意义。以中国新疆维吾尔自治区的IAMC东部地区为研究对象，采用多学科交叉的研究方法，探讨了这些生态和同位素特征不同的农作物传播的时间、路径、生态条件和社会影响。将对新疆铜器时代遗址（通天洞、车木尔切克、小河、天山北路和五堡）的各种样品材料（植物遗骸、人类和动物骨/牙生物磷灰石、人类连续牙质）应用多种研究技术（如古植物学、稳定同位素分析、放射性碳测年）。本项目的目的是弄清1）粟、小麦和大麦最初相遇时的种植方式; 2）这些作物特别是粟的消费规模，以及这是否涉及任何历时或空间变化; 3）粟、小麦和大麦在新疆各地迁移的原因，以及这是否与任何特定的社会因素或生态条件有关; 4）通过个体生活史可见的性别关系影响新作物的采用。这项研究的结果将在早期东西方互动的背景下进行研究，以提供有关新疆在跨欧亚作物交换中发挥的关键作用的新的关键知识。旧世界作物全球化的主题在当今世界的健康、性别和粮食安全方面尤为重要。新疆这一研究区域目前的专题性质也增加了这一项目的相关性和及时性。