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

青铜器时代（公元前3至2千年）见证了小米消费从中国向西传播，而西南亚作物（小麦和大麦）向东传播。这些谷物的跨大陆运动首先在内亚洲山脉走廊（IAMC）重合，这一视界被认为对理解早期东西方相互作用具有重要意义。本文以中国新疆维吾尔自治区青藏高原东段为研究对象，开展多学科研究，探讨这些生态和同位素差异显著的作物传播的年代、路径、生态条件和社会影响。多种研究技术（如古植物学、稳定同位素分析、放射性碳定年）将应用于新疆青铜器时代遗址（如通天洞、科木尔切克、小河、天山北麓和五堡）的各种样品材料（如植物遗骸、人类和动物骨/牙齿生物磷灰石、人类连续牙釉质）。该项目的目的是澄清1)小米、小麦和大麦最初相遇时的种植方式；2)这些作物（尤其是小米）的消费规模及其是否涉及历时或空间变化；3)小米、小麦和大麦在新疆迁移的原因，是否与特定的社会因素或生态条件有关；4)新作物的采用受到个体生活史中可见的性别关系的影响。本研究的发现将在早期东西方相互作用的背景下进行检验，以提供关于新疆在跨欧亚作物交换中所起关键作用的新关键知识。在当今世界卫生、性别和粮食安全的背景下，旧世界作物全球化的主题尤为重要。当前研究地区新疆的主题性质也增加了这个项目的相关性和时效性。

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.