鄂尔多斯高原古城夯层沙的环境解释

doi:10.11821/xb200609005

Abstract

Abstract:

In 2005, when studying the process of historic sandy desertification on Erdos Plateau, we found that a lot of ancient city ramparts were fortified by alternate layers of sand and soil, and these cities included Shi'er Lian Ancient City (located in Zungar Banner, Inner Mongolia, China), Dabaodang Ancient City (located in Shenmu county, Shaanxi province, China), Bayanhurihu Ancient City (located in Otog Front Banner, Inner Mongolia, China) and so on. They are located in deep desert now. Several researchers have thought that the fate of these ancient cities is associated with natural environmental conditions. However, our experimental result does not support this view. The discovery sheds new light into when and how sandy desertification occurred and provides new historic insight for eco-environment conservation in this district. Through the experiment, some conclusions are drawn as follows: (1) The sandy layer in the ramparts consisting of aeolian-sand which should deposit before the cities were built. Considering the time when these cities were built, we could conclude that the desert scene had existed before the Han Dynasty. Some researchers pointed out that the existence of these cities were associated with good natural conditions when they were built, while our experimental result did not support this view. Accordingly, the existence of these cities could not be an evidence to prove good environmental conditions on Erdos Plateau in historical times. (2) It is an effective way to analyze the environmental change and process of man-land relationship through the fate of the ancient cities, relics, traces of human activities and changes in wasteland reclamation. However, it is not accurate to quantify the time when sandy desertification occurred through the time when these relics were abandoned. Undoubtedly, farming activities in historical times to a certain extent destroyed vegetation on Erdos Plateau, thereby accelerating the process of sandy desertification, but it is not the main factor leading to sandy desertification before the Ming Dynasty. (3) It is credible that sandy layer in the ramparts as a direct sign to interpret the environmental background, so it is very useful for us to explain the process of sandy desertification in historical times. Through the discovery, mobile sand dunes, fixed sand dunes, meadows in low humid lands, lakes, and so on, can coexist on Erdos Plateau in prehistory and human history. Up to now, these environments still coexist in the district.

Key words: ancient city, tamping sandy layer, historic sandy desertification, Erdos Plateau, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi Province

WANG Nai'ang, HUANG Yinzhou,HE Tonghui,FENG Wenyong, LONG Hao,CHENG Hongyi. The Environmental Significance of Tamping Sandy Layer in Ancient City Ramparts on Erdos Plateau[J].Acta Geographica Sinica, 2006, 61(9): 937-945.

References

[1] Hou Renzhi. The evolution of the Mu Us Sandy Land from the ancient castles in Hongliu River. Cultural Relics, 1973, (1): 35-41.
[侯仁之. 从红柳河上的古城废墟看毛乌素沙漠的变迁. 文物, 1973, (1): 35-41.]

[2] Wu Zheng. Problems of desertification in northern China. Acta Geographica Sinica, 1991, 46(9): 266-275.
[吴正. 浅议我国北方地区的沙漠化问题. 地理学报, 1991, 46(3): 266-276.]

[3] Dong Guangrong, Li Baosheng, Gao Shangyu et al. Aeolian sand of Erdos in the Quaternary. Acta Geographica Sinica, 1983, 38(4): 341-347.
[董光荣, 李保生, 高尚玉等. 鄂尔多斯高原的第四纪古风成沙. 地理学报, 1983, 38(4): 341-347.]

[4] Zhao Yongfu. Change of Mu Us desert in history. Historical Geography, 1981, (original publication): 34-46.
[赵永复. 历史上毛乌素沙漠的变迁. 历史地理, 1981, (创刊号): 34-46.]

[5] Zhu Zhenda, Wang Tao. Theory and practice on sandy desertification in China. Quaternary Sciences, 1992, (2): 97-106.
[朱震达, 王涛. 中国沙漠化研究的理论与实践. 第四纪研究, 1992, (2): 97-106.]

[6] Sun Jimin, Ding Zhongli. Process and cause of land desertification in northern east China. Quaternary Sciences, 1998 (2): 156-164.
[孙继敏, 丁仲礼. 中国东部沙区的荒漠化过程与起因. 第四纪研究, 1998, (2): 156-164.]

[7] Jing Ai. An Introduction to Desert Archaeology. Beijing: Forbidden City Publishing House, 2001.
[景爱. 沙漠考古通论. 北京: 紫金城出版社, 2001.]

[8] Shanbei Group of Chengdu College of Geology (ed.). The Grain-size Analysis and Its Application of Sedimentary Rock. Beijing: Geological Press, 1976.
[成都地质学院陕北队编. 沉积岩 (物) 粒度分析及其应用. 北京: 地质出版社, 1976.]

[9] Chen C-T A, Lan H C, Lou J Y et al. The dry Holocene megathermal in Inner Mongolia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2003, 193: 181-200.

[10] Hu Gang, Wang Nai'ang, Gao Shunwei et al. The discovery of Holocene aeolian sand in Huahai Lake and its environmental significance. Journal of Desert Research, 2002, 22(2): 159-165.
[胡刚, 王乃昂, 高顺尉等. 花海湖泊全新世古风成砂的发现及其古环境解释. 中国沙漠, 2002, 22(2): 159-165.]

[11] Archaeology Institute of Shaanxi Province. Shenmu Dabaodang. Beijing: Science Press, 2001. 115.
[陕西省考古研究所. 神木大保当. 北京: 科学出版社, 2001. 115.]

[12] Xue Xiangxi, Li Yongxiang, Yu Xuefeng. Animal Remains in Xinhua site in Shaanxi province, China. In: Shenmu Xinhua. Beijing: Science Press, 2005. 355-367.
[薛祥煦, 李永项, 于学峰. 陕西神木新华遗址中的动物遗骸. 见: 神木新华. 北京: 科学出版社, 2005. 355-367.]

[13] Wang Shangyi, Dong Jingbao. The rise and fall of Tongwan city with the environmental change of Mu Us Sandy Land. Geographical Research, 2001, 20(3): 347-353.
[王尚义, 董靖保. 统万城的兴衰与毛乌素沙地之变迁. 地理研究, 2001, 20(3): 347-353.]

[14] Dai Yingxin. Survey on the site of Tongwan City. Archaeology, 1981, (3): 225-232.
[戴应新. 统万城城址勘测记. 考古, 1981, (3): 225-232.]

[15] Deng Hui, Xia Zhengkai, Wang Fengyu. Human activities' influence on the areas of weak ecological environment in terms of the rise and fall of Tongwan City. Collections of Essays on Chinese Historical Geography, 2001, (2): 104-113.
[邓辉, 夏正楷, 王琫瑜. 从统万城的兴废看人类活动对生态环境脆弱地区的影响. 中国历史地理论丛, 2001, (2): 104-113.]

The Environmental Significance of Tamping Sandy Layer in Ancient City Ramparts on Erdos Plateau

PDF (PC)

Like

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

References

Related Articles 15

Metrics

Comments

[1]	QI Guizeng, BAI Hongying, ZHAO Ting, MENG Qing, ZHANG Shanhong. Sensitivity and areal differentiation of vegetation responses to hydrothermal dynamics on the southern and northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi province [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2021, 76(1): 44-56.
[2]	RUAN Haobo,WANG Nai'ang,NIU Zhenmin,JIA Peng. Spatial pattern of ancient city sites and its driving forces in Mu Us Sandy Land during Han Dynasty [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2016, 71(5): 873-882.
[3]	DAI Erfu,HUANG Yu,WU Zhuo,ZHAO Dongsheng. Spatial-temporal features of carbon source-sink and its relationship with climate factors in Inner Mongolia grassland ecosystem [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2016, 71(1): 21-34.
[4]	Yanjun WANG, Baosheng WU, Yongqiang WANG, Deyu ZHONG. Calculation methods for deposition volume in non-flood and flood seasons in the Inner Mongolia reach of the Yellow River [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2015, 70(7): 1137-1148.
[5]	Teng SU, Suiji WANG, Yanguo MEI. Impact of joint operation of reservoirs on the change ratio of downstream cross-sectional geometry parameters: A case study of the Inner Mongolian reach of the Yellow River [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2015, 70(3): 488-500.
[6]	Shuangyan JIN, Suiye ZHANG, Zhijin MA, Ping ZHANG. Water consumption in Inner Mongolian reach of the Yellow River since integrated water regulation [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2015, 70(3): 501-508.
[7]	Shiji LI, Xiubin LI, Minghong TAN. Impacts of rural-urban migration on vegetation cover in ecologically fragile areas: Taking Inner Mongolia as a case [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2015, 70(10): 1622-1631.
[8]	Xianfeng LIU, Xiufang ZHU, Yaozhong PAN, Shuangshuang LI, Donghai ZHANG, Yanxu LIU. The spatial-temporal changes of cold surge in Inner Mongolia during recent 53 years [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2014, 69(7): 1013-1024.
[9]	HU Yunfeng, LIU Jiyuan, Batunacun, ZHEN Lin. Determination of ¹³⁷Cs reference inventory in the large scale region：A case study in the central and eastern Inner Mongolia Plateau [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2014, 69(3): 343-352.
[10]	Erfu DAI, Ruixue ZHAI, Quansheng GE, Xiuqin WU. Topsoil organic carbon storage and its changes in Inner Mongolia grassland from the 1980s to 2010s [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2014, 69(11): 1651-1660.
[11]	MU Shaojie, LI Jianlong, CHEN Yizhao, GANG Chengcheng, ZHOU Wei, JU Weimin. Spatial Differences of Variations of Vegetation Coverage in Inner Mongolia during 2001-2010 [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2012, 67(9): 1255-1268.
[12]	YIN He, LI Zhengguo, WANG Yanglin, CAI Fu. Assessment of Desertification Using Time Series Analysis of Hyper-temporal Vegetation Indicator in Inner Mongolia [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2011, 66(5): 653-661.
[13]	QIN Yi, ZHANG Xiaofang, WANG Fenglong, YAN Heng, HAN Haijun. Scour and Silting Evolution and Its Influencing Factors in Inner Mongolia Reach [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2011, 66(3): 324-330.
[14]	ZHANG Geli, XU Xingliang, ZHOU Caiping, ZHANG Hongbin, OUYANG Hua. Responses of Vegetation Changes to Climatic Variations in Hulun Buir Grassland in Past 30 Years [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2011, 66(1): 47-58.
[15]	GENG Yuanbo, LUO Guangqiang. Analysis of Affecting Factors and Partitioning of Respiration in a Leymus chinensis Steppe in Inner Mongolia [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2010, 65(9): 1058-1068.