Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Unraveling the Population History of the Xiongnu People to Explain Population Genetic and Archaeological Models of Mongolia's Prehistoric Past

University Of Montana, Missoula MT

Investigators

Abstract

This study emphasizes morphological continuity through time as evidenced in complex craniofacial traits, and tests the hypothesis that the aggregate tribes of the Xiongnu, an steppe civilization that arose during the Bronze Age (ca. 3rd century BCE - 2nd century CE) originated in Mongolia without significant biological interaction and external migration from groups in China and Western Eurasia. This hypothesis has been challenged using archaeological and molecular evidence. Archaeological remains of the Xiongnu suggest a complex network of trade and exchange with Inner and Central Asian groups. Though sociopolitical change may be evident in the archaeological record, it does not necessarily imply gene flow. This bioarchaeological research investigates craniofacial variation of Inner Asian groups testing hypotheses concerning the origins of the Xiongnu polity with two- and three-dimensional cranial data of skeletal samples in Mongolia, China, and Russia. These cranial data and analyses address issues of regional migration and exchange networks in the construction, organization, and integration of early nomadic steppe polities. The research expands on existing skeletal biological analyses and contributes to a model of nomadic state formation by utilizing a population genetic framework that tests Xiongnu population history. Molecular studies suggest a common gene pool between modern Mongolians and Xiongnu peoples, and also significant genetic exchange with Eurasian populations. Craniofacial diversity has the potential to validate or reject these findings. This study contributes significantly to our knowledge of the influence of trade on migration patterns in prehistoric Mongolia. By examining craniofacial measures, evidence of biological exchange has the potential to give insight into the political economy and ideology of this region, and facilitate a comparison between archaeological, historical, and genetic records with direct skeletal evidence as to the accurate nature of nomadic foreign relations during this time. Broader impacts of this study include collaboration in research and education with Mongolian, Siberian, and Chinese researchers.