Panicoids in Xiongnu burial ground (Mongolia, First Century AD): problems of identification

Turczaninowia

E.A. Korolyuk¹  A.A. Krasnikov¹  N.V. Polosmak² 

[1] Central Siberian Botanical Garden, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences;Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

关键词: nomads;    northern mongolia;    panicum;    plant remains;    the xiongnu;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The paper summarizes the data on plant remains from burial mounds of the Noin-Ula burial ground in Northern Mongolia (dated from the end of the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 1st century AD). Plant remains that were found in several mounds (20, 22, and 31) belonged to different plant species. Some of them, the remains of Pinus sylvestris L. and Betula sp., got into a mound (31) accidentally during burial ceremony. They are typical for that area. Another part of plants, found in all three mounds, was placed there intentionally, most likely, for ritual purposes. They are loose grains inside the casket (mound 31) and on the floor of a burial chamber (mounds 20, 22) at 17-meter depth. The problems of identification of panicoid remains from burial grounds are discussed in detail. For diagnostics of panicoid graminoids in this case study only caryopsis macroparameters were possible to use. The knowledge on morphology of ultrasculpture of caryopses surface is fragmentary and weakly studied even for the modern material which could be used as a standard for identification of archaeological material. The written sources of the time close to the burial age, if existed, should be used very carefully. Plant remains from all three mounds were identified up to a species level. They all belong to Panicum miliaceum L. The Xiongnu culture featured a special attitude to millet as reflected in burial rituals of the Xiongnu nobles among other numerous traditions of Han civilization.

【 授权许可】

Unknown