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13 Life on the Frontier The Paleopathology of Human Remains from the Chinese Early Imperial Taojiazhai Mortuary Site ZHANG JINGLEI This chapter presents data and analysis of the skeletal biology of a set of human remains recovered from the early imperial period Taojiazhai (陶家寨) cemetery, located in Qinghai Province, on the frontier between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plain. To the east were the farming communities of the Central Plains of China. To the north and northwest was Xinjiang (新疆), a region populated by nomadic pastoralists and agropastoralists, once partially controlled by the Xiongnu (匈奴) polity. When Qinghai was constituted as a buffer zone between steppe nomads and the farming populations of early imperial China by the Han dynasty (汉朝) (206 BC–AD 220), it was the scene of ongoing political turmoil based in a struggle for control over territory and resources. Considering the precarious location of the source population for the Taojiazhai collection, this chapter recruits skeletal pathology to explore to what extent people buried at Taojiazhai were involved in violent confrontations, as well as to assess the general epidemiologicalprofileoftheareaandtherelativecontributionofdifferentsubsistence practices to the local diet. Historical records (Cui et al. 1999) and anthropological research indicate that during the rule of the Qin and Han dynasties the area around the city of Xining was largely occupied by the Qiang (羌) (Han et al. 2005; Li et al. 2009). Xiongnu nomadic tribes, active to the northwest of Qinghai, were a constant threat to the northern borders of a newly unified imperial China. Xiongnu tribes of the Ordos steppe region were first mentioned in the chronicles of the Qin dynasty, when construction of the Great Wall was instigated during the rule of Qin Shi Huang Di (秦始皇帝), ostensibly to protect 324 Zhang Jinglei against their frequent invasions. Despite these efforts, Han dynasty records indicate that the Xiongnu continued to be a constant problem for the Han court, with raids breaching the Great Wall defenses and frequent demands for tribute (Cui et al. 1999). Regarding this perpetual struggle, Sima Qian, a prominent historian of the Han dynasty, wrote circa 109–91 BC, “The Son of Heaven has set out to punish the Xiongnu. In my humble opinion, every worthy man should be willing to fight to the death to defend the borders, and every person with wealth ought to contribute to the expense. If this were done, then the Xiongnu could be wiped out!” (Watson 1993: 73). In 121 BC, during the early years of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han dynasty, General Huo Qubing (霍去病), also known as the Piaoji General, was dispatched to fight the Xiongnu. His troops succeeded in subjugating a number of their tribes and established four counties in Hexi. At about the same time, to strengthen the imperial border and enforce the Immigrating Frontier Area Policy, the Western Han government sent a large number of people into the region to build a military fort called Xipingting. Starting in 111 BC, Han Chinese increasingly moved into Qinghai, especially into the eastern part of the province, mixing with the local residents. Thus, the peoples of Qinghai were gradually brought under Han rule. In 61 BC, during the rule of Emperor Xuan, General Zhao Chongguo was ordered to deploy his troops to open up “wasteland” in Qinghai for the cultivation of farm crops. After defeating a Xianling-Qiang force led by Yang Yu, General Zhao set up the “Jincheng Prefecture.” Thereafter, the Western Han government created seven counties in the area ruled by Jincheng: Linqiang (now part of Huangyuan County); Anyi (now part of Pinan County); Poqiang (now part of Ledu County); Yunwu (now part of Minhe County); Haomen (now part of Yongdeng County, in Gansu Province); Yunjie (now part of the Honggu District of Lanzhou City in Gansu Province); and Heguan (now part of Guide County). During the Jin dynasty, Han migration into the area increaseddramatically,andevidence of Hanimpact onmaterialculture inthe Qinghai area from that time forward is overwhelming (Cui et al. 1999). The Burial Context and Assemblage The Taojiazhai cemetery is located in Qinghai Province, north of the provincial capital of Xining (西宁), in the upper/middle reaches of the Huang (湟) River valley (figure 13.1). The eastern boundary of the cemetery runs along the Beichuan River, while to the west it is flanked by Daye Mountain. A central point within the known area of the cemetery is located at coordinates 36°41.348’ N and 101°44.443’ E, 2,330 meters above sea level (Xu 1984). The [3.23.101...

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