The Environmental Significance of Tamping Sandy Layer in Ancient City Ramparts on Erdos Plateau
Received date: 2006-07-02
Revised date: 2006-08-03
Online published: 2006-09-25
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40471138; NSFC Innovation Team Project, No.40421001
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.
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 . DOI: 10.11821/xb200609005
[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.]
/
| 〈 |
|
〉 |