Subsistence and animal management at Iron Age sites of Quanshuigou and Dumuduebudege in western Xinjiang, China

Abstract

Xinjiang sits in the northwesternmost part of China and played an active role in facilitating the flow of technologies, cultivars, and livestock long before the Silk Road. While mixed pastoralism was developed in neighboring Central Asia, the local lifeways in Xinjiang, as well as the possible interactions in-between these regions, have still not been fully understood. Here, we conduct zooarchaeological analyses at two Iron Age sites of Quanshuigou and Dumuduebudege in western Xinjiang, to clarify the local subsistence and animal management strategies. Our results reveal that sheep/goats were the most exploited animals in this region, followed by horses and cattle in the managed herd. Apart from meat and marrow, renewable secondary products such as wool and milk might also be used, suggesting an intensive livestock exploitation managed by the local pastoral communities. Such mixed pastoralism not only continues throughout the Iron Age but also is visible today in Xinjiang, demonstrating its profound and lasting influence for nomadic groups in this region.