A Study On Animal Exploitation Of Changning Site,Qinghai Province,Northwestern China

Changning Site, an important early settlement of Qijia Culture, is located in theHuangshui Basin of eastern Qinghai Province. This region belongs to the ecotonebetween agriculture and animal husbandry in north China; it is also along the HexiCorridor where cultural exchanges and confluence of western and eastern areas tookplace. Evidently, researches of prehistoric culture in this region have specialsignificance.Zooarchaeology takes an irreplaceable role in understanding the key points ofanimal exploitation in ancient China. However, the previous zooarchaeologicalstudies in this region are relatively weak and the animal exploitation is poorlydiscussed, as a consequence, the exploration of ancient culture is severely restricted.But now, a large number of animal bones were unearthed through the excavation ofChanging Site, which provide abundant materials for this study. Proceeding from theidentification and classification of animal bones of different species, this paper triesto analyze the characteristics of animal exploitation of Changing Site, so as to probethe differences of subsistence strategy within Qijia Culture.The results of identification demonstrate that the fauna remains could represent30different species at least. Goat, sheep, cattle, pig, dog are domesticated and theminimum number of individuals (MNIs) of this five species account for66%of thetotal number of individuals; wild animals, such as red deer and roe deer, take up34%on the total number of individuals. Fauna assemblage of Changning Site suggestshigh biodiversity and suitable environment for multiformity of economic patterns atthat period. The structure of livestock and wild animals also indicates that thesubsistence pattern of Changning site is Farming-Grazing-Hunting, this pattern issimilar with other sites(such as Qinweijia Site, Dahezhuang Site)of Qijia Culture asa whole, while it differs from them in internal constitution. For one thing, goat, sheep and cattle, rather than pig are the main body of livestock in Changning Site;for another, the proportion of wild animals in Changning Site is larger than that ofQinweijia Site and Dahezhuang Site. The reason for these differences may lie intemporal and spacial disparities. The internal diversity of economic formation inQijia Culture could be related to transition from farming to grazing. Thistransformation has both culture causes and environment causes, and it is likely toimply better adaptability.