Ordos culture

The Ordos culture is an archaeological culture of the Upper Paleolithic to the Bronze Age in the area of the Ordos Plateau, in the south of Inner Mongolia (China, about 300 km from the modern Beijing). The population of the Ordos was predominantly Mongoloid, which is inferred from their skeletal remains and artifacts. However, numerous Europide influences may have acted on them before this country was conquered by Qin and Han over the centuries.

Prehistoric people

Paleolithic

The Ordos culture is documented since the Upper Paleolithic. The locations of their tools suggest Levallois in the production of their chopping and stone tools similar to those found in Zhoukoudian strong. Presumably, the population of the Ordos had a great knowledge regarding Palaeolithic art, so blades up to 15 cm in length were found.

Fossil human remains from Ordos man could be found in Salawusu and dated in the period 50000-35000 BC. The show distinct Mongolian features, especially the front teeth and the occipital bone.

Neolithic

One of the cultures that settled in the Ordos Plateau in the Neolithic period, the Zhukaigou - culture whose finds are dated 2200-1500 BC. Recent genetic studies of 327 graves found in the remains show that this population was closely related to the Yinniugou, as some modern populations, such as the Daur or the Evenki. Archaeological remains of this culture are very similar to those of older Xiajiadian culture. This should form the beginnings of the development of the Snake pattern designs for weapons and for the presentation form of animal artifacts, which became known as Ordos style later.

The actual Ordos people are detected for the region of Ordos Plateau from 6th to 2nd century BC. Their predecessors population is unknown, probably these were the Mongols.

Skeletal remains from the grave - Taohongbala been dated between the 6th and 7th centuries BC. They are usually identified with the Xiongnu bronze culture. They also show distinct Mongolian features. 1979, a similar type of grave was in Hulusitai, near Bayan Nur, discovered, which could be dated to the 5th -4th century BC. Among the population, on the back of this type, it is likely to be the only Xiongnu culture that settled on the northern slope of Yinshan. In this place numerous bronze artifacts, ceramics and remains were found skeletons of 27 horses. Another excavation in Guaxianyaozi examined 1983 31 tombs from the 6th to 5th century BC These showed significant North Mongolian features, which increased towards the south. In Maoqinggou and Yinniugou skeletal remains were found from eastern and northern Mongols from the 7th century in 117 graves. Grave goods in the form of weapons similar to this the Chinese style.

Representations of the Ordos people are abundant in archaeological finds from Baotou (M63: 22, M63: 23, M84: 5), Etuoke (M1, M6), Xihaokou (M3) under Woertuhao (M3: 1) and Mengjialiang. They tend to portray this people with straight hair.

Sakas and Scythians

From the 6th to the 2nd century BC, the region was inhabited by nomadic horsemen who were later expelled by the Xiongnu. According Lebedynsky, it is likely to have acted as the most easterly colonizing nation of the Scythians, which in the immediate vicinity of the Yuezhi, which are known for their skeletal remains and artifacts, lived here. So is this people in archaeological finds rather European features and is therefore attributable to the Scythians. Even the weapons that were found in tombs throughout the steppes, showed many similarities with those of the Scythians, especially those of the Saka. Furthermore, the Ordos belt buckles, bridles and weapons produced with animal pictures (often in battle scenes) that are similar in their " animal style " nomadic traditions ( such as the Scythians ), which were found in Central Asia.

Frequent contact with the pre- Han and Han population in this period led to numerous wars. Your at that time the territory is located just north of the Great Wall of China and southern bed of the northern loop of the Yellow River.

Relations

The eastern neighbors of the Ordos might have been identical with the Yuezhi, which, after they were defeated by the Xiongnu, migrated to southern Asia to establish there Kushan. These were also used with other nomadic tribes to the east, the Donghu (东 胡), which has a similar " steppe art" shared with them, but apparently were Mongols. They were possibly also with the di ( Chinese:氐; "Western barbarians " ) related that are mentioned in Chinese annals.

In addition, the Ordosregion was the legendary place of the beginning of Turkic peoples.

Conquest by the Xiongnu

In Chinese records, the Xiongnu in the Ordos first appear in the works Yizhoushu and Shanhaijing during the time of the Warring States Period, before the region was conquered by Qin and Zhao. It is generally assumed that the Ordos is their country of origin, although it is unclear exactly when the region was conquered. This could, however, according to some archaeological finds, have been much earlier than is traditionally assumed.

When the Xiongnu were spreading under their leader Modun to 160 BC south to the Yuezhi territory, this in turn defeated the Sakas and pushed it back to the Issyk Kul. Probably they conquered during this period, the Ordos region, where they came into direct contact with the Chinese. From there, they made ​​numerous devastating attacks on Chinese territory (167, 158, 142 and 129 BC).

The Han dynasty began in the 2nd century BC by Emperor Han Wudi to fight the Xiongnu, and populated the region of the Ordos under the commandant Shuofang 127 BC Before that had already been established by Qin and Zhao commanderies, to this 209 BC were overrun by the Xiongnu.

Artifacts

Important artifacts of the Ordos are seen in the "Asian Gallery" in the British Museum:

Silver Horse, Ordos, 4th - 1st century BC

Buckle, Ordos, 3 -1. Century BC

Buckle, Ordos, 3 -1. Century BC

Bronze horses, Ordos, 5th - 3rd Century BC

Horse is attacked by tigers, Ordos, 4 -1. Century BC