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Location of the archaeological finds of the Ordos culture.

The Ordos culture comprises the period from Upper Paleolithic to the late Bronze age at the Ordos Desert, in the south of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, about 300 kilometers from modern Beijing. The area of the Ordos were predominantly Mongoloid known from their skeletal remains and artifacts,^[1] but numerous interactions between Europoid and Mongoloid might had also taken place there over the course of several centuries,^[2] until its occupation by Qin and Han dynasties. The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Ordos Desert 1912 The Ordos Desert (Chinese: 鄂尔多斯沙漠; Pinyin: ÈěrduōsÄ« Shāmò) is a desert and steppe region lying on a plateau in the south of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Inner Mongolia (Mongolian: ᠥᠪᠦᠷ ᠮᠣᠨᠺᠤᠯᠤᠨ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠺᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠣᠷᠤᠨ Öbür Mongghul-un Öbertegen Jasaqu Orun; Chinese: 内蒙古自治区; Hanyu Pinyin... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; Wade-Giles: Peiching or Pei-ching; IPA: ; literally Northern capital;  ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Qin, Qín or Chin (Wade-Giles) can refer to. ... // Han in China Chinese (æ¼¢), an abbreviation or adjectival modifier for things Chinese. ...

Prehistoric people

The Ordos culture is documented from the Upper Palaeolithic. They used the chopping and rock tools of the Zhoukoudian. The points and sides of their tools indicate a "Moustero-Levalloisian" element. They seemed to have a masterful knowledge of Upper Palaeolithic technology, producing blades as much as fifteen centimeters long.^[3] The Upper Paleolithic or Palaeolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. ... Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site - the Caves (taken in July 2004) Zhoukoudian or Choukoutien (周口店) is a cave system near Beijing in China. ... The Levallois technique is a name given by archaeologists to a distinctive type of flint knapping developed by humans during the Palaeolithic period. ...

The human fossil remains of the Ordos Man from Salawusu site dated between 50,000 and 35,000 BCE show strong Mongoloid features, specifically on the fore-tooth and occipital bone.^[4] The occipital bone, a saucer-shaped membrane bone situated at the back and lower part of the cranium, is trapezoid in shape and curved on itself. ...

The Zhukaigou culture, is one of the neolithic culture at Ordos, dated between 2200 and 1500 BCE. It contained about 327 burials, recent genetic evidence shown that they were close related to the remains from Yinniugou, as well as modern populations like Daurs and Evenks.^[5] The archaeological finds at the site is very similiar to those of the lower Xiajiadian culture. Those finds are important as it was responsible for the development of snake pattern design on the decoration of weapon and depicting animal artifact, known in later as the Ordos style.^[6] An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... The Daur people (Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; the former name Dahur is considered derogatory) are an ethnic group. ... The Evenks (obsolete: Tungus) are a nomadic indigenous people, one of the Northern Indigenous Peoples (pop. ...

The Ordos people were located at the doorstep of Qin China, and were just east of the Yuezhi in the 3rd century BCE.

The people in Ordos are recorded in the area of the Ordos desert from the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE. What kind of populations occupied the area before them is unclear, but may have been Mongoloid. The Qin Dynasty (Wade-Giles) (秦朝 221 BC - 207 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... Languages Unknown, although the epigraphy ranges from Greek language to Bactrian, and often considered to have spoken a Tocharian language. ...

The skeletal remains at Taohongbala tomb dated to between 7th century and 6th century BCE are generally identified as belonging to the Xiongnu bronze culture, and show strong Mongoloid features.^[7][8]

A similar type of burial at Hulusitai around Bayannur uncovered in 1979, which is dated to between 5th century to 4th century BCE, is considered as the only Xiongnu's culture situated at the northern slope of Yinshan. The site consisted of mainly bronze artifacts and pottery and 27 horse skeletal remains.^[9] Further excavation in 1983 at Guoxianyaozi amounting to a total of 31 burials dated to about 6th century to 5th century BCE, showed strong north Mongoloid. Those features generally decreased towards the south, and skeletal remains of east and north Mongoloid can be seen from the finds in Maoqinggou and Yinniugou dated to around 7th century BCE, which amount to a total of 117 burials.^[10] Many bronze weapons of those cultures are similar to those of Chinese style.^[11] The Yin Mountains (Yin Shan or Yinshan) are mountains in the Eastern Gobi Desert steppe of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of China. ...

Many depictions of the Ordos people tend to have straight hair. Those are especially strong in the archaeological finds at Baotou (M63:22, M63:23, M84:5) Etuoke (M1, M6), Xihaokou (M3), lower Woertuhao (M3:1), and Mengjialiang.^[12] Baotou (Chinese: 包头; pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city and the largest city in Inner Mongolia, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Sakas and Scythians

Bronze statuette of a man, Ordos, 3-1st century BCE. British Museum.

Belt buckle, Ordos, 3rd-1st century BCE.

Later, horse nomads occupied the area from the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE before being driven away by the Xiongnu. According to Lebedynsky, they are thought to be the easternmost people of Scythian affinity to have settled here, just to the east of the better-known Yuezhi, althought he provide no facts for it.^[13] They are mainly known from their skeletal remains and artifacts. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 432 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2007 × 2785 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 432 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2007 × 2785 pixel, file size: 1. ... The British Museum in London, England is one of the worlds greatest museums of human history and culture. ... (7th century BC - 6th century BCE - 5th century BCE - other centuries) (600s BCE - 590s BCE - 580s BCE - 570s BCE - 560s BCE - 550s BCE - 540s BCE - 530s BCE - 520s BCE - 510s BCE - 500s BCE - other decades) (2nd millennium BCE - 1st millennium BCE - 1st millennium) The 5th and 6th centuries BCE were... (3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events BC 168 Battle of Pydna -- Macedonian phalanx defeated by Romans BC 148 Rome conquers Macedonia BC 146 Rome destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War BC 146 Rome conquers... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... Languages Unknown, although the epigraphy ranges from Greek language to Bactrian, and often considered to have spoken a Tocharian language. ...

They were in contact and often at war with the pre-Han and Han populations of the period. Their former territory is now located just north of the Great Wall of China, and on the south bank of the northernmost hook of the Yellow river. // Han in China Chinese (漢), an abbreviation or adjectival modifier for things Chinese. ... The Great Wall in the winter The Great Wall of China (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: Wànlǐ Chángchéng; literally The long wall of 10,000 Li (里)¹) is a Chinese fortification built from the 5th century BC until the beginning of the 17th century, in order to protect... For other Yellow Rivers, see Yellow River (disambiguation). ...

According to Lebedynsky, the people represented in archaeological finds tend to display Europoïd features, and are thought to be of Scythian affinity.^[14] The weapons, found in tombs throughout the steppes of the Ordos, are very close to those of the Scythians, especially the Sakas.^[15] Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by an Indo-Aryans known as the Scythians. ... Saka is also the name of a town in Hiroshima, Japan; for information on this town, see Saka, Hiroshima. ...

The Ordos people manufactured belt plaques, horse gear and weapons depicting animals, often in combat. The "animal-style" is similar to nomadic traditions found in Central Asia, such as that of the Scythians. The Scythians (also Scyths, from Greek ), a nation of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who spoke an Iranian language[1], dominated the Pontic steppe throughout Classical Antiquity. ...

Relationships

The eastern neighbours of Ordos may have been identical with the Yuezhi who, after being vanquished by the Xiongnu, migrated to southern Asia to form the Kushan empire. They were also culturally related to another nomadic tribe to the east, the Eastern Hu (Chinese:東胡, "Donghu"), who shared a similar "art of the steppes" but appear to have been Mongoloids.^[16]. They may also have been related to the Di people (Chinese:氐 "Western Barbarians") of Chinese annals. Languages Unknown, although the epigraphy ranges from Greek language to Bactrian, and often considered to have spoken a Tocharian language. ... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... The Di (氐) were an ethnic group in China. ...

By one account, the area of Ordos was the legendary land of origin of the Turks.

Xiongnu occupation

In Chinese accounts, the Xiongnu first appear at Ordos in the Yizhoushu and Shanhaijing during the Warring States Period before it was occupied by Qin and Zhao. It is generally thought to be their homeland, however when exactly they came to presence is unclear. Although it might had much earlier than traditional thought as suggests from the archaeological finds.^[17] The Classic of the Seas and Mountains (Chinese: ; pinyin: ShānhÇŽi JÄ«ng) is an ancient Chinese book. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... State of Qin (small seal script, 220 BC) Qin or Chin (Wade-Giles) (秦) (778 BC-207 BC) was a state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of China. ... State of Zhao (small seal script, 220 BC) Zhao (pinyin: zhao4, simplified Chinese: èµµ, traditional Chinese: 趙) was a Chinese state during the Warring States Period. ...

Just as the Xiongnu expanded southward into Yuezhi territory around 160 BCE under their leader Modun. The Yuezhi in turn defeated the Sakas and pushed them away at the Issyk Kul. It is thought the Xiongnu also occupied the Ordos area during the same period, when they came in direct contact with the Chinese. From there, the Xiongnu conducted numerous devastating raids into Chinese territory (167, 158, 142, 129 BCE).^[18] Issyk Kul (also Ysyk Köl) is an endorheic lake in the northern Tien Shan mountains in northwestern Kyrgyzstan. ...

The Han dynasty started to fight the Xiongnu in the 2nd century BCE under emperor Han Wudi, and colonized the area of the Ordos under Shuofang commandery in 127 BCE. Prior to the campaign, there were already commanderies established earlier by Qin and Zhao until they were overrun by the Xiongnu in 209 BCE.^[19] Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... (3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events BC 168 Battle of Pydna -- Macedonian phalanx defeated by Romans BC 148 Rome conquers Macedonia BC 146 Rome destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War BC 146 Rome conquers... Emperor Wu of Han (156 BC*–March 29, 87 BC), personal name Liu Che, was the sixth emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. A military compaigner, Han China reached its greatest expansion under his reign, spanning from Kyrgyzstan in the west, Northern...

Artifacts

Main artifacts of the Ordos people, as displayed in the British Museum (Asian Gallery): The British Museum in London, England is one of the worlds greatest museums of human history and culture. ...

Bronze pole top, Ordos, 6th-5thCentury BCE.	Silver horse, Ordos, 4th-1st century BCE.	Belt buckle, Ordos, 3rd-1st century BCE.	Belt buckle, Ordos, 3rd-1st century BCE.
Ordos bronze horses, 5th-3rd century BCE.	Horse attacked by tiger, Ordos, 4th-1st century BCE.

Notes

Jacquetta Hawkes, née Hopkins, (August 5, 1910 – March 18, 1996) was a British archaeologist. ... Sir Charles Leonard Woolley (17 April 1880–20 February 1960) was a British archaeologist, best known for his excavations at Ur in Sumerancient Mesopotamia. ... Harper & Row is an imprint of HarperCollins. ... The Encyclopedia of China (Chinese: ) is the first large-scale encyclopedia in the Chinese language in the modern era. ... The Encyclopedia of China (Chinese: ) is the first large-scale encyclopedia in the Chinese language in the modern era. ...

References

• British Museum permanent exhibition (China room).
• "Les nomades" Iaroslav Lebedynsky, Editions Errance, Paris 2007, ISBN 9782877723466
• Ma, Liqing (2005). The Original Xiongnu, An Archaeological Exploration of the Xiongnu's History and Culture. Hohhot: Inner Mongolia University Press. ISBN 7-81074-796-7.
• Huang, Weiwen, Salawusu Relic. Encyclopedia of China, 1st ed.
• Wuen, Taohongbala Tombs. Encyclopedia of China, 1st ed.