Early niche graves in the Turfan Basin and Inner Eurasia
This PhD research analysed mortuary variability at Yanghai and the Turfan Basin to understand the emergence of lateral niche graves around 200 BCE and its significance in an Inner-Eurasian context. This research relates to a larger niche grave debate which has existed for decades. Attributes of 519 graves at site level and 150 graves at regional level were fed into a specially designed database. More than 5300 entries were collected at the lowest possible level, so that they could be aggregated at any time to the desired research constructs. This made it possible to look at the data from multiple perspectives, views or paradigms. A fivefold set of parameters was assessed related to grave architecture, human remains, animal remains, grave goods and chronology. The results suggest the Yanghai niche grave occupants represented an emerging pastoralist elite skilled in mounted shooting, who controlled the Turfan Basin and part of the Tianshan area from c. 200 BCE onward. They depended on the Jiaohe Goubei elite who occupied a strategic position and borrowed their power from a clever navigation between western and eastern powers. Jiaohe Goubei showed close connections with the Balikun grasslands. The niche grave
Timperman, Ilse
Early niche graves in the Turfan Basin and Inner Eurasia. This PhD research analysed mortuary variability at Yanghai and the Turfan Basin to understand the emergence of lateral niche graves around 200 BCE and its significance in an Inner-Eurasian context. This research relates to a larger niche grave debate which has existed for decades. Attributes of 519 graves at site level and 150 graves at regional level were fed into a specially designed database. More than 5300 entries were collected at the lowest possible level, so that they could be aggregated at any time to the desired research constructs. This made it possible to look at the data from multiple perspectives, views or paradigms. A fivefold set of parameters was assessed related to grave architecture, human remains, animal remains, grave goods and chronology. The results suggest the Yanghai niche grave occupants represented an emerging pastoralist elite skilled in mounted shooting, who controlled the Turfan Basin and part of the Tianshan area from c. 200 BCE onward. They depended on the Jiaohe Goubei elite who occupied a strategic position and borrowed their power from a clever navigation between western and eastern powers. Jiaohe Goubei showed close connections with the Balikun grasslands. The niche grave
early niche graf basin inner eurasia phd analyse mortuary variability basin emergence lateral niche graf around bce significance inner eurasian context relates large niche grave debate exist decade attributes graf site level graf regional_level feed specially design database entry collect low possible level could aggregate time desired construct make_possible look data multiple perspective view paradigms set_parameter assess related grave architecture human_remain animal remains grave_good chronology suggest niche grave occupant represent emerge pastoralist elite skilled control basin part area bce onward depend elite occupy strategic position borrow power navigation western_eastern power show close_connection grassland niche grave