The Inner Asian Mountain Corridor During1^st Millennium BC

During the early Iron Age,1stmillennium BC, the western and the north cultureshad more interactions and imposed more influences on each other. There are manynomadic tribes spreading across Eurasian Steppe. These tribes have their distinctivecultures, yet closely related. The Inner Asian Mountain Corridor is the importantconnective area between Eurasian Steppe and Northern Grassland of China. ThisCorridor is also the critical connection between agricultural civilisation and nomadiccivilisation. This essay would adopt the approach of archaeological typology,analysing several crucial arrears of the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor in detail,including the characteristic shapes and the developmental patterns of typical objects;discussing about the nature of connections among these areas, and illustrating thedifferences in these relationships during individual time periods.The first part of the essay is Introduction. Firstly, a boundary was set on the studyin terms of the space-time scope. Besides, there is an instruction made on theconcerning and corresponding concepts. Secondly, there is a retrospect on thearcheological discoveries and history of research, which is followed by a summary ofcurrent researching situation. In the last part, there is a brief statement on theresearching ideas, researching purposes and existing problems.The second part concerns the early Iron Age in the area of TianShan Mountainand the Semirechiye, Ferghana Valley and Pamir Mountain. The study begins with theanalysis of excavated relics in the three regions in terms of typological analysis and thestudy on different stages. Secondly, the discussion on cultural communication withinthe three regions and the differences and similarities of contemporary materialcivilization and social culture has been conducted in this part. Last, there is adiscussion on the communication of the three regions and surrounding area, especiallythe interaction within Xinjiang region in China. The third part is about the Iron Age in Altai area, which begins with thetypological analysis of the relics excavated from the two regions and the study ondifferent stages, as the basis of the discussion on the situation of social progress.Secondly, the emphasis has been attached on the fact that there are two groups ofresidents living in the two regions, as well as the demonstration of the close interactionof Tuva and Altai area. Last, the important position of Tuva in the spreading of earlyEurasian culture and the significance of Altai area in integrating later Eurasian prairieculture has been highlighted.The forth part of the essay is concerning the early Iron Age around the region ofMinusinsk and upper reaches of OB. Firstly, the analysis begins with the typologicalanalysis of the relics excavated from the two regions and the study on different stages,as the basis of the discussion on the situation of its social progress. Next, the essaypresents our opinion that Tagar culture in the region of Minusinsk is the one ofarcheological culture inheriting the comparatively superior Karasuk culture in the laterIron Age. Its closure in geography determines the persistence of its unique traditions.At last, the essay discusses the social structure of Tagar culture, with the account of itsclear classification and the agricultural economic elements begins to decline, while thepastoral economy develops from early period to the later one.The fifth part concerns the development, changes, regional disparity and correspondingproblems of the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor. Firstly, after integrating the archeologicalculture across the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor, we divide it into four continuousdeveloping stages from a superior perspective and make a summary on each developingstages at a high level. Next, according to the features of large, medium and small excavatedrelics of each stage, we assess that the warrior class has gradually descended from thesuperior social status to the middle one in the contemporary society. This essay aims toprovide more detailed study material and relative analysis on cultural communication withinChinese boundary and across the Eurasian prairie for the further discussion on it.