Re: Impact ancient civilisation on landscape Mongolia


prd wrote:
In sci.archaeology message news:1167709631.114983.273870
@k21g2000cwa.googlegroups.com by "jaded" <dunkers@xxxxxxxxxxx> . . . :


Peter Alaca wrote:
Y. Y. Li, K. J. Willis, L. P. Zhou, H. T. Cui (2006)
"The impact of ancient civilization on the northeastern
Chinese landscape: palaeoecological evidence from the
Western Liaohe River Basin, Inner Mongolia"
The Holocene 16(8):1109-1121 (2006)

Abstract
"The Western Liaohe River Basin in northeastern
China is one of the cradles of ancient Chinese
civilization. Archaeological records from this
region indicate that human occupation began
about 8000 years ago and that agriculture and
pastoralism were important activities from an
early stage. Very little is known, however, about
the effects that these activities had upon the
landscape.

This paper presents the results of a palaeo-
ecological study from a 3.6 m sedimentary
sequence in a relict oxbow lake in the Western
Liaohe River Basin of southeast Inner
Mongolia. The 5400-yr sequence indicates that
human activities had a noticeable impact on an
apparently open landscape.

Buckwheat cultivation began as early as 5400
cal. yr BP with intensification of agricultural
activities from approximately 4700 cal. yr BP.
Nitrophilous plants such as Solanum and
Cerastium, and also Artemisia were growing
in the region at certain times, linked with
fluctuations in the {delta}15N record and
probably indicative of increased pastoralism
and unintentional/ intentional manuring.
Burning was probably used for clearance of the
steppe vegetation for agriculture with a close
relationship apparent between increased influx
of microfossil charcoal and the presence of
buckwheat.

Superimposed upon this record of human impact
is also clear indication of three significant
intervals of climate change between 2900 and
2600, 1200 and 600 and 600 and 30 cal. yr BP.
The latter two are discussed in relation to the
'Mediaeval Warm Period' and 'Little Ice Age'
apparent in sedimentary sequences across the
Northern Hemisphere. Discussions are therefore
made in terms of the impact that both climate
change and ancient Chinese civilizations had
upon shaping the present day landscape and
vegetation."

Note that in the much later European Buckweat cultivation,
burning was an essential part of the system until the early
20th century. (In Dutch it is called 'Boekweitbrandcultuur'.)
The toplayer of the peat was burned and the buckwheat
sown in the ashes. After five years a period of 25 years of
fallow was needed.

Keywords: Holocene . human impact . environmental
archaeology . pollen analysis . microfossil charcoal
. nitrogen isotopes . civilization . Inner Mongolia
. buckwheat cultivation

--
p.a.

Check this out. An ancient canal in the desert.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/radar/sircxsar/silkroad.html

The area shown is approximately 35 kilometers by 83 kilometers (22 miles by
51 miles).

Thats a pretty big-ass road, lol.

I think they overkilled on the false colorations.

California dreamin'

So that would make the canal 'bout thirty or forty miles long?

.

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