Classification of microlithic culture in western regions

From the perspective of technology and cultural typology, according to the classification of existing data, the author adopts Idris Abdurezul's research conclusion and divides Xinjiang microlithic culture into four categories:

The first category: represented by Chaiwobao site, there are not only a large number of microliths, but also a large spread area, characterized by the remains of microliths culture. The microliths have traditional characteristics, among which the stone core at the bottom of the ship has the characteristics of early microliths, and cones, wedges and columns are common stone cores in microliths. The generation of stone chips is obtained by direct attack and indirect attack. Stone chips are mainly long and irregular, made by direct hitting method, and all have small platforms, which shows the primitiveness of stone tools. The microliths we saw were only processed and trimmed by indirect impact method and stripping method at the edge of the stone piece, and some microliths may be processed by direct impact method. Although there are abundant microliths, they are monotonous in shape in similar specimens. Stone tools are mainly processed on one side, and individual tools are processed in the wrong direction or on both sides. Except for the long-body round-headed scraper, short-body round-headed scraper and half-moon scraper (some people call it nail scraper), other stone types are not fixed, and the processing is far less exquisite than that of Xia Chuan culture. The stone tools of Chaiwobao, such as double-pointed and half-moon scraper, show the characteristics of this site, which is rarely seen in other parts of China. Large stone tools are rough and rarely processed. From a macro point of view, the stone tools in Chaiwobao show a relatively primitive form, which shows that their technology is not complete. Judging from the classification and use of stone tools, the owners of stone tools live by the lake in the piedmont area, mainly engaged in hunting and gathering activities, and fishing and hunting activities may also be part of their production activities. The cultural nature of Chaiwobao site is similar to Sandaoling site, Bison Spring site, Carlton site and Karamay site. Taking the Karamay site as an example, it should be said that the economic life of the stone tool owners in Karamay is in harmony with the geographical environment around the site. The site is located on the dry bank of the lower reaches of Manas River, not far away. Surrounded by geomantic sand and clay deposits. Some river sections are as wide as twenty or thirty meters and as deep as twenty or thirty meters. Some freshwater snails can be seen in the sediments of the river bend. In addition to sand and clay, there are blue-gray soil layers on the broken wall of the river, indicating that there was a period of lush water plants and dense trees. According to an old head of a local construction corps, before and after liberation (around 1949), the Manas River basin was still densely forested, making it difficult for people to walk, and there were many crows-like pheasants in the mainland trees. There are also many wild boars. There are two people, father and son, who mainly hunt. They raised more than 200 dogs, added spears and muskets, and got a truck when hunting. There are many fish. By the aqueduct of Manas River, some construction team members can catch up with a semi-truck in less than a day with only one basket. There are many antelopes, and the vendors of the Corps carry the burden to sell goods in the company, and they are often scratched by antelopes. Antelopes often sniff around in front of vendors' burdens, which is very annoying. Vendors often kill an antelope with a stick. This fully shows that 50 or 60 years ago, Manas River Basin was a good place for hunting, fishing and animal husbandry. Karamay microlithic site belongs to the lower reaches of Manas River basin, and this geographical environment illustrates the economic life of stone tool owners from another side. Earlier, when we introduced the site of Chaiwobao, we preliminarily concluded that it was the Neolithic Age, and pointed out: "But some people think that it may be as early as the Mesolithic Age or as late as the Bronze Age, with a long time span." Some scholars pointed out: "It is more appropriate to set the age of Chaiwobao as the transitional stage from the late Paleolithic to the Mesolithic, but the lower limit should not be later than the Mesolithic." [56] By the way, I declare that I don't agree with the statement that there was a Mesolithic Age. 1At the "International Symposium on Mesolithic Culture" held in yingde city, Guangdong Province, China in February, 999, many scholars at home and abroad realized that "the existence of the Mesolithic Age and the time limit of the Mesolithic Age should be adapted to local conditions, and it is impossible to formulate a unified time limit". As a symbolic product of human evolution, the concept of "cultural era" is put forward. Even a country in the world does not have an accurate concept of "time limit", and the possibility of its existence can be imagined.

The second category: represented by the Qijiaojing site in Hami, the site is not only large in area, but also rich in microliths. Except for many stone cores, cone-shaped stone cores and stone chips, stone chips are generally used for secondary processing to grow scrapers and sharps. The number of fine stone leaves found is also considerable, 7 cm long and only 0.3~0.4 cm wide. Small stone trowels, stone drills, sharps and carving knives further processed with fine stone leaves account for a considerable proportion, and both sides are pressed and trimmed, with fine processing and mature manufacturing technology. A nail scraper made of stone chips found in this place. Both the shape and the manufacturing method are consistent with similar artifacts in the late Paleolithic period. Large stone tools with stone axes or sharp objects with waist and sharp edges have been found. Although there are quite typical microlithic tools and mature microlithic techniques here, there are no completely pressed stone tools, nor ground stone tools and pottery pieces. None of the stone tools has anything to do with agriculture. So it should be an economic form with hunting and gathering as the main content. Similar to the Qijiaojing site are the Dikaner site, the Kush site in Du Ying, the Yar Lake site, the Keping site in Aksu region, and the Bashi Kangsula site in yutian county. The microliths unearthed from these sites are similar to the Qijiaojing site. Similarly, there are no pottery fragments and ground stone tools. Obviously, the age of Qijiaojing site is obviously later than that of Chaiwobao site.

The third category: represented by Huokuannale Site (HC) and Suletang Bae Site (SC) in Wupa Township, Shufu County, Kashgar. The cultural characteristics of these two places are basically similar. But HC is a little earlier than SC. For example, there are wedge-shaped stone cores, semi-conical stone cores, semi-cylindrical stone cores and cylindrical stone cores in Huojia Kuannale site, which are common relics in microlithic sites. At the same time, there are also many fine stone leaves and processed fine stone leaves in this site Scraper is the main stone tool, but the shape of scraper is generally irregular, simple and rough, and the stone-making technology remains primitive to some extent. Although there are coarse pieces of red pottery with sand in the ruins and microliths, they are very broken and can't be seen. It is generally believed that this red pottery with sand is a relic of the Neolithic Age. The difference between the Ba 'e site in Suletang and the Huojiakuo Nale site is that there are round laurel-leaf-shaped concave stone cymbals or alternately hammered sharp objects. There are also polished stone knives, bone arrows and small bronzes. It can be inferred that its age may be longer than that of Huojiakuo Nale Site. Similar sites include Bachu site and Tulei River site. The pottery shards, bones, stone tools, ground stone tools and bronzes in these sites indicate that these sites have entered the Neolithic Age or the Bronze Stone Age, but the analysis of the relics collected in these sites still shows no tools related to agriculture. Explain that it was still an economic form with hunting and gathering as the main content.

The fourth category: Astana site as the representative, which lasts for a long time. The stone tools in Astana site are very rich, among which the stone chips are the most, and the technology of obtaining exquisite stone leaves from stone cores has reached a quite high level. For example, some small stone cores are conical columns with a diameter of less than 0.7 cm after peeling off fine stone leaves, which is not found in other sites. The processed fine stone leaves account for a considerable proportion, and there are many kinds of pressed fine stone tools, such as half-moon stone knives, willow leaves, laurel leaves, triangle stones with collars, etc. In addition, serrated stone tools are rare in other parts of China. There are stone mills, stone balls and perforated gravel pendants, and red pottery pieces with sand and a small amount of painted pottery pieces are also found. Although all the microliths in the site are related to hunting and animal husbandry economy, there are painted decorations in agricultural products processing tools and pottery, which indicates the existence of agricultural economic factors in Astana site. As some scholars have pointed out: "The age of the remains of the fine stone tools in Astana may belong to the Neolithic Age. The stone tools in the remains are exquisitely processed, stable in shape and large in quantity, which may reflect a major feature of the remains of the fine stone tools in the middle and late Neolithic Age in Xinjiang. In addition, a considerable number of pottery fragments were found on the same surface. There are also various kinds of stone mills (stone mills), such as saddle-shaped, boat-shaped and up-and-down grinding stone mills. There are also grinding rods and some hand-held grinding tools. Some stone balls weighing from 1 kg to 1 kg were also found. Although these stone balls are not direct agricultural production tools, some of them are probably tools for processing grains. From the discovery of these utensils and a considerable number of pottery, it is initially reflected that the economy of Astana's microliths may have agricultural components, but animal husbandry and hunting still occupy an important position. "

Similar to the cultural characteristics of Astana site, there are also sites in Lop Nur, Zenger, Ir Kabak and Yanqi. Judging from the exquisite stone tools and ground stone tools found in Luonaoer area, the residents in Luonaoer area were mainly hunting and gathering at that time, and fishing and hunting also occupied a certain position in their lives. There may be an agricultural economy in the later stage. At present, the earliest artificially cultivated wheat specimen found in China was unearthed in the Gugugou tomb in the northwest of Robonauer. The age of carbon fourteen is about 3800 years ago.

About the site of Sidaogou in Leim County, the site of Ercun Village in Dongbazha Hui Township in Shanshan County, and the ancient tomb of Kemuqi Village in Altay County, the microliths can only be considered as the remains of an ancient technology. Because their age is 2400 ~3000 or 2000~2500, they have entered the bronze age. Although the development of western regions and inland cultures was unbalanced in early history. But at least it entered the middle and late Neolithic age. During this period, the cultural outlook of the western regions can be basically divided into two types: grassland nomadic culture and oasis farming culture. The formation of this cultural pattern is entirely determined by the unique geographical environment in Xinjiang.

To sum up, judging from the remains of the western regions, the first and second kinds of microliths mainly reflect the hunting and gathering economy, with a certain fishing and hunting economy. The third and fourth types of microlithic sites mainly reflect the hunting and animal husbandry economy, the existence of fishing and hunting, and even the emergence of farming culture later.