The Maoqinggou culture (Chinese: 毛庆沟文化, 800-200 BCE) is an archaeological culture of Inner Mongolia (Liangcheng County, Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, China, 013764), to the east of the Ordos culture area, centered around the Maoqinggou cemetery. It is an important site for the understanding of China's northern grasslands in the early Iron Age.[1] The site has four phases, from the Spring and Autumn period to the late Warring States period, including a period of early Xiongnu occupation.[2]
The site is noted for its Scythian (Saka) style artifacts and weapons, which are of a similar type to those the Saka Chandman culture of western Mongolia, in the Animal style.[3][2][4] The dagger especially have typical ornithomorphic styles, and are dated to the 6th century BCE.[5] The Maoqinggou culture is sometimes considered as a "Scythian culture".[6] This Scythian culture disappeared in the 3rd-2nd centuries BCE with the onset of the Xiongnu.[6]
It is thought that the early people of Maoqinggou were directly related to the nomadic cultures of the Northern Zone.[2] Their culture expanded tremendously, and in the northeast replaced earlier cultures such as the Upper Xiajiadian.[2]
Scythian-style Maoqinggou daggers, 6th century BCE.[3]
^ abcdDi Cosmo, Nicola (2008). The Cambridge History of Ancient China From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC. Chapter 13THE NORTHERN FRONTIER IN PRE-IMPERIAL CHINA. Cambridge University Press. pp. 885–966. doi:10.1017/CHOL9780521470308.015. BRONZE PRODUCTION. Bronze objects from Scythian sites in northern China comprise fairly typical nomadic objects, which have a wide distribution throughout the Eurasian steppe belt. Among these the most characteristic are the straight blade double-edged dagger, horse gear, large ritual cauldrons, ornamental plaques, and belt buckles. The daggers from Ordos sites such as Taohongbala and Maoqinggou are different from those of the Shang and early Zhou periods. A new and rapidly spread ornamental feature is the dagger pommel with facing bird heads, or Antennae Style. This motif is very common to the north and west, and is found widely in South Siberia. (...) The consensus today is that the nomadic cultures of the Northern Zone in the late Warring States were directly linked to earlier inhabitants such as those of the lower strata of Taohongbala and Maoqinggou. There is no doubt, however, that the culture represented by these earlier sites expanded tremendously and, in certain areas such as the northeast, replaced earlier cultures such as Upper Xiajiadian.
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