日本的中部欧亚研究：俄罗斯研究与东方研究的紧密结合

19世纪后期,日本学者把东亚历史研究与西亚历史研究紧密结合起来,研究中亚注重使用俄语、突厥语资料。苏联戈尔巴乔夫经济改革时期的民族问题与苏联解体后中亚地区独立国家的涌现,引起了日本学者、学生及普通百姓的极大关注。20世纪90年代后,日本的现代中亚研究得到迅速发展。在研究方式、研究范围、学科设置、研究方法等方面体现出了不同的特点。

Combined impact of the Pacific–Japan pattern and Mediterranean–northern Eurasia pattern on East Asian summer temperatures

The combined effect of the Pacific–Japan (PJ) pattern and Mediterranean–northern Eurasia (MnE) pattern on East Asian surface air temperature (SAT) during summer is investigated using the Japanese 55-year reanalysis and Climatic Research Unit SAT data over the period of 1958–2016. The results show that the combination of the two patterns in different phases can result in different SAT anomalies. During the in-phase PJ-MnE years, the overlapping of opposite signs of the atmospheric circulations associated with the PJ and MnE patterns results in weak atmospheric circulation and SAT anomalies in central East Asia;during these years, the significant SAT anomalies are over northern East Asia. In contrast, during the out-of-phase PJ-MnE years, the overlapping of the same signs of the atmospheric circulations associated with the PJ and MnE patterns leads to significant atmospheric circulation and SAT anomalies in central East Asia and northern Asia. The analysis in this study indicates that to better understand and predict the variability of East Asian summer SATs, the combined effect of the PJ and MnE patterns should be taken into account.

Exploring the history of cultural exchange in prehistoric Eurasia from the perspectives of crop diffusion and consumption

The history of cultural exchange in prehistoric Eurasia(CEPE) has been widely investigated. Based on archaeological evidence, this process is thought to date back to at least the early Bronze Age, although details about timings and routes remain unclear. It is likely that CEPE promoted the spread and exchange of crops that originated in different parts of Eurasia; since these remains can be definitely identified and directly dated, they provide ideal research materials to explore the history of CEPE. In this paper, we review the available archaeobotanical evidence and direct radiocarbon dates for crop remains, alongside carbon isotopic data from human bones unearthed from prehistoric sites in Eurasia, in order to investigate the history of the spread of millet crops, and wheat and barley, that were first domesticated in the eastern and western parts of Eurasia during prehistoric times.In combination with other archaeological evidences, we discuss the history of CEPE. Our results suggest that wheat and barley were domesticated in western Asia around 10500 a BP, spread into Europe and western Central Asia before 8000 a BP, and reaching eastern Central Asia and northwestern China between 4500 and 4000 a BP. Data show that both broomcorn and foxtail millet were domesticated in eastern Asia before 7700 a BP, spread into eastern Central Asia between 4500 and 4000 a BP, and into western Asia and Europe prior to 3500 a BP. Wheat, barley, and millet crops were first utilized together in eastern Kazakhstan within Central Asia around 4400 a BP, the region where earliest CEPE is likely to have taken place. These crops were mixedly used mainly in eastern central Asia and northwest China between 4500 and 3500 a BP, and then across the Eurasia before 2200 a BP. The results of this study suggest that transcontinental CEPE might have been initiated during the fifth millennium, before intensifying during the Bronze Age to lay the foundations for the creation of the ancient Silk Road during the Han Dynasty(between 202 BC and 220AD).

略论东周时期北方地区金属器上羊形纹样的来源

羊形纹样是东周时期北方地区金属器上的一种重要装饰题材,有圆雕式、浮雕式和透雕式三类。圆雕和浮雕羊形纹样来源于南西伯利亚地区早期游牧文化,而透雕羊形纹样因形式多样,其分别来源于天山七河地区的萨卡文化及北方地区的诸胡文化。不同类型羊形纹样在北方地区的分布,反映了东周时期中国北方游牧人群与南西伯利亚地区、天山七河地区游牧人群之间的交流。