Research On Prehistoric Archaeological Cultures In The Ili River Valley Of Xinjiang

This papper the research contents are divided into two parts.Part ?,through sorting out the remains of the Qiongkeke type ruins,Daxigou tomb type sites and bronzes unearthed and collected from Ili River Valley,the archaeological culture of Bronze Age can be divided into early,middle and late stages in the Ili River Valley.Studies show that the culture of Bronze Age in the Ili River Valley is a single,orderly developing cultural group,which belongs an integral part of Andronovo culture,and characterizing by loose social structure and the concurrently agriculture-animal husbandry based economy.The development of Andronovo culture in the Ili River Valley is a complex process,especially the origin problem is not,as some scholars said that was formed in the Ural region and then eastward expansion.The unearthed potteries of the third layer from the Qiongkeke site are mainly black and grey potteries;and the pottery decoration has not been found yet in the Qihe region.While the middle and late pottery types are more common in Andronovo culture.In addition,Tangbalesayi and Kuokesuxi 2nd cemeteries unearthed more than a dozen pieces of potteries,which are all folded flat devices and ring-foot devices.Flat type cylinder pottery is common in Andronovo culture,but the unearthed flat-bottomed pots are mainly shoulder folding or belly folding in above two cemeteries and Qiongkeke site,while the flat-bottomed pots unearthed from the Qihe and Xiabandi regions are mostly arc belly tank.The ring-foot devices of Andronovo culture in other regions are rarely seen.By the comparison of surrounding cultures,the black(gray),shoulder folding(belly folding)and ring-foot potteries are more popular in Mesopotamian of Central Asia and the culture of Bronze Age along the Black Sea coast,which means that it is likely to be affected by cultural influences of the southwestern region.This study also provides us another revelation.Not just only from the Ural region,originally formed,another original formation way of Andronovo culture is likely to be from the Black Sea coast directly,and then through Mesopotamia reaching western Mt.Tianshan and the Qihe regions.After westward and northward development,the culture spread to Minusinsk Basin.These also verified the Soviet archaeologist-Jixieliefu's deduction that the Andronovo culture may be derived from the Mt.Tianshan region,Qihe region and the Pamirs region,etc.Part ?,Based on the collation and research of archaeological excavation materials of the Ili River Valley during the early Iron Age,discussions of this part established three types of graveyard cultures(Qingkeke,Suodunbulake,Yeshenkelieke).The research results indicate that these three types of graveyard cultures belong to one archaeological culture,which were the different developing stages of the Suodunbulake Culture.The early Iron Age of Ili River Valley has experienced nearly 800 years of development,and always kept the same cultural features of sustainable development.The three different types of graveyard cultures are just the reflection of different stages in the developing process of the same culture.The Suodunbulake Culture can be divided into three periods:The 1st period:Qiongkeke period——Formation period of culture.The painted pottery culture was relatively developed,but its distribution range was smaller.The 2nd period:Suodunbulake period——Development and flourishing period of culture.The painted pottery ratio decreased,and the gap between rich and poor appeared.The distribution range of this culture expanded to the whole Ili River Valley and its surrounding areas.The 3rd period:Yeshenkelieke period——Decline period of culture.Other foreign cultural factors were apparent in the burial culture.Its distribution range was greatly reduced.The historical materials also kept a record of major historical evolution event of the Ili River Valley during this period.The Saike people,who have lived in the Ili River Valley hundreds of years,were replaced by the Darouzhi and Wusun people from eastern areas.Part of the residual Saike people were fused by the new cultures,and then eventually dying.Meanwhile,the social structure,economic form and cultural origin of the Saike Culture in different developing stages are also tentatively discussed in this paper respectively.