Possible role of the “Holocene Event 3” on the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around the Central Plain of China

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-6182(03)00125-3Get rights and content

Abstract

Profound archaeological transformations that mark the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around Central China during the late third millennium BC have been identified widely. However, the causes for their collapse have been disputed. In this paper, paleoclimatic data are synthesized to show that an interval of severe climatic anomalies occurred across much of China, which were synchronous with a climatic event identified at least in the Northern Hemisphere. Our syntheses also indicate that this climatic interval was not only one of several climatic events during the Holocene, but marked the middle Holocene climatic transition (the ending of Holocene optimum). Based on geological evidences and analysis of relationships between variations in the intensity of the East Asian monsoon and changes in distributional pattern of monsoon-related rain belts in eastern China, we suggest that this climatic anomaly was superimposed on the middle Holocene transition and significantly altered the hydrological regime. This generated an environmental framework of drought in the north and flooding in the south of China, which was mainly responsible for the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around the Central Plain.

Introduction

In recent years there has been an increase in interdisciplinary studies of paleoenvironments and their role on social processes, especially the rise and fall of pristine civilizations (Weiss et al., 1993; Hodell et al., 1995; Curtis et al., 1996; Binford et al., 1997; Grosjean et al., 1997; deMenocal et al., 2000; Weiss, 2000). Special attention is paid to climatic change around 4000 yr BP, which has been termed the “4000 yr BP Event” by Perry and Hsu (2000) or the “Holocene Event 3” by Bond et al. (1997) and its possible role on the collapses of ancient civilizations in Egypt, Indus, and Mesopotamia (Weiss et al., 1993; Dalfes et al., 1997; Hsu, 1998; Cullen et al., 2000; Perry and Hsu, 2000; Weiss, 2000; deMenocal, 2001). However, little is known about the 4000 yr BP event, its environmental ramifications, and its impact on Chinese civilization, despite scattered reports suggesting that the 4000 yr BP climatic event may be responsible for the collapse of the Liangzhu Culture in the lower Yangtze River valley (Stanley et al., 1999; Yu et al., 2000). It was once thought that the amplitude of the 4000 yr BP event in China was not comparable to that observed in other parts of the world, and that it could not have affected the ancient cultures of China as much as those elsewhere (Hsu, 1998). Contrary to Hsu’s (1998) view, however, archaeological evidence clearly indicates a profound archaeological transformation that marks the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around the Central Plain during the late third millennium BC, (e.g., Yu, 1992; Li et al., 1993; Liu (1996), Liu (2000); Zhang et al., 1997; Stanley et al., 1999; Xu, 1999; Zhao, 1999; Cao, 2000; Shui, 2000; Tian, 2000; Yu et al., 2000; Tian and Tang, 2001; Wu and Liu, 2001). Geological evidence also indicates a climatic anomaly during the late third millennium BC (e.g., Gasse et al., 1991; Lister et al., 1991; Sun and Chen, 1991; Zhou et al., 1991; Liu et al., 1992; Fontes et al, 1993; Van Campo and Gasse, 1993; Fontes et al., 1996; Gasse et al., 1996; Van Campo et al., 1996; Zhang et al., 1997; Chen et al., 1999; Guo et al., 2000; Jian et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2000). The aim of this paper is to evaluate the geological evidence for the apparently climatic-induced collapse of Neolithic Cultures around Central China in the late third millennium BC. This examination will focus on the causes, mechanisms, and timing of this putative climatic event, its environmental effects, and its possible role on the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around Central China.

Section snippets

Present environmental setting

China is characterized by an intense monsoonal and continental climate, marked by gradient in continentality and aridity from southeastern to northwestern mainly due to the northwestward attenuation of monsoon winds (Fig. 1). China's topography has been likened to a series of steps decreasing in altitude (Fig. 1) from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in west-central China with a mean altitude of 4000 m, to the Xinjiang-Inner Mongolia, Loess, and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateaus with a mean altitude of 2000 m,

Archaeological background

Profound archaeological changes during the late Longshan period have been identified, which are associated with the collapse of Neolithic Cultures around Central China (e.g., Liu (1996), Liu (2000); Zhang et al., 1997; Stanley et al., 1999; Xu, 1999; Zhao, 1999; Shui, 2000; Tian, 2000; Yu et al., 2000; Tian and Tang, 2001) and the emergence of state-level society in Central China (Liu (1996), Liu (2000)). Archaeological investigations during the past few decades have established the rise of

Environmental background

Over the last few decades, many new observations and analyses of geological records have yielded substantial data on past environmental and climatic changes (for compilations see e.g., Sun and Chen, 1991; Zhou et al., 1991; Feng et al., 1993; Shi et al., 1993; Winkler and Pao, 1993; Guo et al., 2000). These records range from the beginning to the end of the Holocene, permit a good analysis of regional climate evolution, and provide an opportunity to objectively evaluate the “Holocene Event 3”

Social effects of “Holocene Event 3”

Placing Neolithic cultural change within the context of detailed and well-dated Holocene paleoclimate records underscores the important role of 4000 yr BP event on the profound social transformation seen in China in the late third millennium BC. However, the response of human communities in various regions corresponds to the nature of the environmental challenge brought by the “Holocene Event 3”.

The Qijia and Laohushan Cultures inhabited marginal dry-land steppe in the Upper Yellow River Valley

Concluding remarks

Review of geological data from widely scattered sites across China points to a marked climatic anomaly during the late third millennium BC. This interval of severe climatic deterioration was synchronous with a climatic event during the late third millennium BC identified in many Northern Hemisphere sites. This anomaly shows two special characteristics. It is one of the several climatic events during the Holocene and marks the ending of Holocene Optimum. It is suggested that this climatic

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the 31st Postdoctoral Research Foundations. We are grateful to Professor Zhou Liping for critical comments and improvement of English in the manuscript. Special thanks also to Professor Lü Houyuan and Professor Guo Zhengtang for their valuable suggestions and comments.

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